The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1871-07-20

church preserved. Inc hlst0r, con-
nectcd with these, however interest
ing, must, in the great lInjor-
ity Of cases, be received with Many
grains for allowance. The Gbek
monk, Michael, Simon Metaphrasts,
st. Thomas Aquinas, ond Niceph-
rus, all assert that st. Luke paintede
portrait Of Christ; and the piciult
itself is now in the possession of tho
bcncdictincs of Nallambrosa. Am
examination proves that while it
could not possibly have been done at
the time specified, is is yet OF great
antiquity. 1t is painted on panel
Of cyprus wood; tic features arc
strongly marked, the face long, the
eyes large and brilliant, the eyclids
dropping and the brows finely arch
ed. In the monastery Of st. PraX-
ides is picture which dates back
before the days of Constantine, but it
is enshrined in silver case, and the
jealons keepers will not permit a
close examination. What is known
as the Gcnoeso portrait is unqucs-
tionably of remote origin, and repre-
sents Christ with u triiurcatcd beard
and q full, round Byzantine face. At
the promulgation Of the dogma of
the immaculate Conception, Dcccm-
Der s, 1854, there were exhibited i'll
the chapel Of the blessed sacrament
at st Peters u number of relics of
the passion Of Christ; and among
them the famous veil of ST. Naroni-
ca, on which arc said to be impressed
the lineamcnts of the Savior. None
but bishops were allowed to enter
the chapel, and to the crowd gazing
through the grating nothing could
be clearly distinguished. BY special
favor however, NJ. Barber dc Mont
ault, canon Of the Basilica Of Anagni,
was permitted to approach the shrine
and carefully scrutinizc the mysteri-
ous picture. We give his own dcs-
cription:
"The holy face is enclosed in Il
frame Of silver partially gilt, and
square, OF q severe character, and
little adorned. The simplicity of
the bordering gives prominence to
the interior Of the picture, which is
protected by thin plate Of crystal.
Unfortunately, by one of those Gus
toms so common in Italy, sheet Of
metal covers the field, and only
leaves apparent the figure indicating
its outline. by this outline one is
led to conjecture flowing hair reach
ing to the shoulders, and Il short
beard, bifurcated and small. The
other features are so vaguely indica-
ted or so completely eilactcd that it
requires the livelicst Imagination Ill
the world to perceive traces Of eyes
or nose. In short, one does not see
the material of the substance because
of the useless intervention Of metal
plate, and the place Of impression
exhibits only a blackisll surface, not
giving any evidence of human fea-
lures.
But the face OF Christ Is not ulWuy
dclineated on wood or canvas, but is
to be found in various shapes upon
the earliest Christian sarcophagi ; al.
so done in enamel and mosaic, and
frescoed on the walls and ceiling oil
the Roman catacOmbs. These sarco-
phagi are Of white marble, generally
highly ornamented with elaborate
bas relicfs, and evidence, by the care
bestowed upon their preparation, tho
respect in which the dead were held
even in that era ofcorruption, tyran.
ny and violence. Except in The ma,
turc of the symbols carved thereon
there is no pal ticular difference be.
tween the Christian and pagan sarco-
phagi. That of Juuius Bassus, who
died III the year 2J9, has the face OF
the Saviour four times repeated. II
is youthful almost 10 childishncss
with laming hair and bcardlcss chin
the features of the ordinary classic
types. Embedded in the mortar oi
| the tomb Of Eutychia in the cata.
combs, whom the inscription de,
clares to be "thc happiest ofwoman,'
was found a beautiful glass goblet
On this goblet is portrayed in enamc
II representation of the resurrection
of Lazarus. Christ is there shown
young and beautiful with curlcd hai
but beardless while in another COB
let from the same tomb lie is secl
bearing the fruit of the tree of li'c
.t