The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1873-08-17
LETTER FROM ROME.
sACRILEGE AT ST. PETERS.

LETTER FROM ROME.
sACRILEGE AT ST. PETERS.
Rome, July 26tb.-Along with the alarm
of cholera and earthquake, and the reality
of scarcity-another pest has broken out
at Rome. The Catholic journals exclaim
with indignation at q fourfold act of DARN |
iconoclasm, committed about fortnight
since, but only discovered, it would seem,
on the 10Th inst. The fingers of the we'll
known colossal cherubs, n chef ddurre of
Bernini, which hold up the magnificent |
holy water vases on either side of the nave
of st. Peters, have been broken off by |
some miscreants; and the same sacrileg.
ioas rufiians have seriously damaged the |
pedestal supporting the majestic bronze
statue, Michael Angeles masterpiece Of
sculpture. Not being able to get the statue |
itself, they have torn down and broken |
to pieces large piece of tho alabaster COR
nice which ornaments the pedestal on the |
side fronting the Papal altar. Some OF
tue leaves of the lamps of the sanctuary
have also been broken. The damage must
have been done with hammer, though
how it could have been effected without
attracting the attention of the officials in
charge of the Basilica, remains a mystery.
No clue has as yet been found to the de-
| tection'of the perpetrators. The Osserrd-
| tore with great reason characterlZos the
! act as one that would have dlsgraced the
| Turks aud Vandals in the most savage
periods, of their history and attributes it
to that fierce hatred of every symbol of the
| Christian faith that is one of the most dis
| tinctive features of the Italian Revolution.
THE BELGIAN COLLEGE.
On the 14th instant the Holy Father
| granted the favor of a special audience to
the President and scholars of the Belgian
College at Rome. The worthy president,
the Rev, DR.. Van den Brandep, laid at the
Pope's feet the sum of 5000 francs. which
had been sent by Monseigneur de Mont
pellier, Bishop of Liege, and formed the
the second payment by his lordship Of
Peters Pence since the beginning of the
present year. The Diocese of Leige justly
prides itself on its ancient title of SanctG
LeGia Ecclesiae Romanac Fila, and on very
many occasions has displayed its devotion
to the Holy See. 1t will be remembered
that the excellent carbines with which the
Pope's guard are armed were the gift of
the people of Liege. The Holy Father in
reply to Dr.. Van den Branden, gave a
, touching exhortation to the clerical body
: to an exact correspondence with the i'm
portant obligations of the ecclesiastical
state. The Pope then bestowed his bene-
diction on the President and scholars.
THE BRETON LANGUAGE.
On the l4th instant the Holy F ather also
received Monseigneur Augustn David,
= lately arrived at Rome. The Breton Bsh-
op made an offering to his Holiness of a
n considerable sum, being the amount OF
/ collections in his diocese for the Peters
Pence. The Holy Father received Mgr
, David with marks of special favor, and
l. presented him with a large and fine silver
medal bearing the effigy of his Holiness
G The Pope also took the Bishop and hit
secretary, NJ. rAbbe Dubourg, into a room
adjoining the presence chamber, in the
corner of which stood pair of crutches
I'M ~
was obliged to use these, but now can dc
without them" The Pope also invited
his visitors to accompany him on his usua
g morning walk in the gardens of the Palace
70 and on his return, having seated them bots
near himself, put some questions about ths
Breton language to the Bishop, who tolC
the HOLY Father that his secretary wa
- able to speak it fluently. The Pope there
# upon expressed desire to hear some speci
IF mems of dialect which is spoken by 81
c, many good Catholics; and Nj. Dubours
t. gratiied his Holiness by repeating tn
Pdter Nostcr inss Breton, and some coloquia
Of phrases, which the Bishop interpreted int
90 French. The Pope is stated to have re
IL marked THE languare has bold reso
III lutte sound. One might guess that it
of the speech of true men,"
ic ARMENIAN CATHOLICS.
The Correspondence de Genere publishe
z series OF addresses from the Armenia
= er. These documents prove unanswerab
e how completely the neo schismaticss i
Turkey have isolated themselves fror
: Christian sympathy by raising the stand
I2i ard of rebellion against the Holy See an
. Ss against Mgr. Hassoun, their lawful Pa TT;
~, 80, arch The addresses also exhibit i'll a clea
.96 light the infatuation of the Ottoman Gov
g. ernment in dispossessing the Catholics al
332 expelling their Bishop to please mserabl
81 handful of schismatics.
a sS MURDER OF a FRANCISCAN MONK.
1872 The Ammonia of Turin reports brnt;
c51 murder committed by three "Bpzznrrl"
G.4 open day on poor Franciscan lay brothe
4 a7a in the vicinity of Ferrara. From the lar
40 guage of the rufliaus the crime seems
9vs nave been actuated partly by that stranG
81 diabolical hatred Of the Religious Order
55ssss which inspires the worst classes in Italy
: %" present The inoffensive monk, with h
$50 brown habit and girdle of rope, could NJ
S75 possibly have possessed anything to tenn
$50 the cupidity of hghwaymen.
az az THE FEDERAZIoNE PIANA.