The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-05-17

DRESS OF EXPLANATIONS. ne s fsf5tssss
Up the n ssde centraisaislc OF 81. afIehae,,s
church, Jersey City Heights, saws the New
York San OF Monsssay yesterday afternoon
swept glittering procession a cross
bearer, guarded by two csad le-b bearing aco-i
| lytes in white and brown, led. Acolytes,
divided according to Che hue Of their seu-
| tanes-purple, red, brown-and unhelding
candles, succeeded. Monks OF st. Michael,
lace overdresses falling over their coarse
| gowns. ieathern girdies, and almost to their
bare, sandalied feet followed chanting.
Then young women, white-veiled and carry
ing tapers, appeared. In their train were
little maidcns, wreathcd, and with below
cred dresses OF snowy whiteness and soft
ness. Behind the last train of children was
/ borne by four crimson-robed monks, sur
rounded by taper-bearers, couch OF cloth-ot-,
gold. On itreclined q waXen youth OF delicate
beauty, of an Italian artists conception OF
St. Benedict. The head, supported by cush-
ions OF cloth-of-gold, was crowned with bay
leaves and encircled with fine halo.
The exquisitely odelledf face was deathly
pallid but calm. A silky beard fringed the
lips, the chin, and the cheeks. On the right
side Of the slender neck was cruel spear
wound, from which, seemingly, blush
blood had tricklcd, collecting in the hollow
of the neck. A blue velvet silver.trimmed
inner garment, extending only to the knees,
| fitted the form closely. A knightly mantle
OF crimson velvet embroidered with gold
was fastened upon the shoulders and upon
the body, extended beyond the feet. Near
the hand was q golden vase, cross-sur-
mounted, enclosing phial containing traces
OF the blood Of st. Benedict. Two richly
robed monks carried reyerently flower
adorned glass silvcr-bound vase. wherein
were. bones OF St. Benedict, the larger
being the breast bone. Bishop Corrigan,
mitrcd in yestments OF crimson and gold,
and walking with the aid OF golden
crozier, followed, with many monkish
attendants. Through the gates OF the chan
eel rail, before which the white-yeiled maid
ems had ranged themselves, the acolytes,
monks, and the Bishop passed. The effigy
OF ST. Benedict was deposited upon GRIM
son, gold-decked, and 1ower-trimmed bier,
ablaze with tapers. Above it, on crimson
silk base, were placed the remains. The
Bishop knelt before the altar OF many
colored Italian marbles, and the monks and
acolytes cncircled it. The thurifers were
replcnished. Then the chanting OF the
his throne OF white and gold, and put on
robes Of the same tinge and trimming. His
meditations were broken in upon when the
book was brought to him that he might read
and bless him who offered it.
Just before the delivery of his address the
Bishop exchanged all of his outer trappings
for purple mantiila lined with scarlet silk.
Then he entered the pulpit. Removing his
mitre, the Bishop said:
Ny Beloved Brethren.-In Matthew's
gospel we find I" He that shall confess me
before men, him also will l confess before
my Father who is in Heaven; and he that
l>aSo ,olSn will
deny before my Father who is in Heaven"
This is rare and touching occasion-the
solemn translation of the relies OF saint
who many centuries ago laid down his life
for Christ. And the fact that beyond his
dying in testimony OF his faith we know
scarcely anything of him adds in some re-
spects to the interest of the ceremonial. In
reality all that we know Of him or of his ply
steal remains here before us is that he poured
out his blood for our Saviour. But when,
in what manner, or under what clrcum-
stances is unknown to us. Even the name
that he bore in the world is hidden from us.
His body was found in the cemetery Of
st. Priscilla, and thence removed, in 1871,
by Cardinal Altleri, Vicar General Of Glenn
ent Y. The seal that the Cardinal put upon
the remains was not broken until last week,
when it was necessary to reSrrange the re-
mains rs YOU now see them. From the po-
sition in which the body was found we may
conjecture that he was an early martyr.
The catacombs Of st. Priscilla were among
the first, if not the first, in Rome. Priscilla
was the mother OF the entertainer OF Christ
on His entrance into Jerusalem. The fam
, lily to which she belonged gave to st. Peter
, the curule chair, in which his successors,
including the present successor, have sat.
1t is safe to assume that this martyr was one
of the first proofs Of the new religion, one
OF the first flowers translated- from the gar
: den of the church 70 yield its fragrance IN
A Heaven.
\ We know that he was martyr because
: the signs OF martydom were found upon
\ the body. From the beginning OF its eX-
= iStencc the Church was careful to honor
those that died in the faith to distinguish
their last resting places from the tombs OF
others, who, though holy, had not reached
, the honor of martvrdom.
, And in the same spirit the phial OF blood,
the instruments OF torture, and other indi-
I cations OF martvrdom, were not deposited
in the tomb until the ecclesiastical authori-
ties were satisfied that the dead was really a
, MARTYR. They distinguished between the
? death for faith and the death for fanaticism.
Those who, eager for the honors of martyr
dom, broke the idols OF the pagans, and
, drew upon themselves an explosion OF fury,
a were not, if their action was adjudged ia
r naticism, recognized as martyrs. When the
o phial and instruments OF torture We're found,
: therefore, with these remains, they were
rightly deemed those Of q martyr, though
$ no name was attached. Probably in that
period OF fierce persecution those who
found his remains had no time to lnscrlbe
I his name or the particulars OF his death.
r There is no doubt that they were the last
, earthly traces Of one Of those men Of whom
Christ said, "He who shall confess me be-
) fore men, him shall also confess before my
Father who is in Heaven"
, When the Bishop descended from the pull
, pit Il golden monstrant was set up IN. the
tabernacle, and the singing of the Pontiical
>" vespers began. At its close bouquets were
heaped upon the bier, and the congregation
, filed by to view the sanity remains.
When the remains were taken from the
catacombs Of st. Priscilla by Cardinal AL
teri they were enshrined in a church OF
the same name in Spoleo, Italy. The church
5 WAS demolished to make way for new tho
Y roughiare. The remains were then given
e by Baron Ancasani, owner Of the church
q site, to Father Gasparini, pastor Of the
! Church Of st. Anzona, Italy. Recently,
through the generosity Of Mrs. Peters, OF
! Cincinnati, they came into the possession
OF the monks Of st. Michael's monastery.
A elasS-frontcd shrine, beneath the side altar