Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1875-04-23
An nlpoa:1G asetigIous Ceremony
sn Es<i(s rid.


The Madrid correspondent OF the
London Times gives the fniicw;a- &C
count Of the Cmbiematic ceremony of
s2sh.1g the Apostles feet as recently
performed by King Alfonso. "Fhe
/, r,Itgiuus service attended by tie King,
which / performed in the .hapel, and
20 which the pubiIc ara freely admit
ted, was over at noon, and L went up
the Princes Staircase on my way to
the Hall Of the COlumrs,' whore the
ceremony OF tie day was to come elf
Everything about the Madrid Aic:z.r
IS Grand, If not strictly beautiful; the
commanding site, With the view Of the
urt AIRY Yet vast open country,
and Of She bleak Gu&dsTdma f,dgr, tie
courtyard. VITA IT, massive out c.umsy
co'ouuade, the chapel with its wealth
+ marbles and frescoed vault; finally
the .S,tjOn dc las C0ittnllos, spa
cIDuS vestIbuie of magnificent iofti-
fe,1, stately entrances 70 the some
what too gorgeous suite of stat fpart-
men;s-everytb thing is on large ~cs.i,.
aud admirably beitting q great IA ,c-
rial nome. 1t was not without Il terri
Die struE l. tant the persons favored
uith q pass AID clad, the III; IL uni
tG.;a~ Or il sober evening black. The
:4,I!"S II SiIa brilliant cDIute If :h.-.:
ar8uG-lew iiUeFy-tiie b. .ck uiaLtl iti
atUue j, ing te riGrur--coutd force
ta~lr way along the corridors au1 III,
=, Itsv4 sort ia, heSa' win an uHWash, q
t;ts,ly 3IuDUg - h-'-n ! DIT, CtAa II
-prirl<Eug of uuletiabic pick utsche5s.
with good deal OF W.a: isad tear,
however, brave men and rushing
women man" 2 q to est thT0ugi.. s.ssd
by the ,lme | entered IL comp ma
pt silk and vs!ve |, broa,l-c!r;h ana Z .:;i
.&ca, crowd Il the saloon, the 50. ;.tt-
tors. more than eight hundred nF whom
,eers ladies, standing all round i;,.;. nIed
ND on benches, row Upon Ow. 5".N3...s
aasciy rhe most lIIIltt 4 1pR, e ,},.-,.
for th.. p-rfo;.utra r. Within ih.s $ ~.
| the twelve FnupeTs, or apostles, -4t ~.
= s., to, each of them with tLrir t.,at
! -; and |, & bare t. tie knee. a. d ~
I'll pre- pared for the occasi0l n. az
! dint OF much soap and W. tef cvnid h..
c,ntriytd; The KiDg III his grand uuf-
, frs. with a towel tied around h,n
I aHTDu-wiSo. t"i!O"rd by C*Id Dal NJ:
I fe.n. .sr,iiEisn"p pf F,..stoi!d, - g..
So - robes an i sc;.i.-.oIJ :, al 10 =
/ hJ-},t a-d al around tIcm a s-ru..U ga. i
/ ~ crandtea and marsha r, an array of
! golden uniforms only dlstineuiahable
! ftom the no less sumptuuas Evelies ot
! the court neniHls by tie stars, crosses,
I cardCus and scarfs of their chIvalrou-
/ orders. The Cardinal vent first, and
sprinkled few drops of periumed
/ water over es,cE of the bare feet in
succession, the King came after, kneei-
ing before each foot, rubbing it slight
! iy with his towel, then stooping upon
! 1t as If he meant TO kiss it. fhe cere-
! mony did not take many minutes.
The twelve men then got mp; they were
; N ,rshaiied III great pomp round the
! hail, and seated in row on one side
of the table, with their faces to the
! spectators, IN the order observed III
/ Leonardo's grand picture of the Last
! Supper. Iu the rear of the table, on
high and lofty platform, stood the
/ court. In the middle the Infanta Isa-
bella, Countess of Girgenti, heiress
presumptive to the throne upon whom,
/ after long discussion, the title of Prin-
cess of Asturias has been lately con-
| ferred, looking tall and majestic and
| even somewhat stern and naughty