Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1876-05-19
FOREIGN CORRESPONDENCE.

Below will be found letter from friend
of Mr. and Mrs. ]. P. Jennings, who with his
family is taking a leisurely tour through the
Old World. His letters show him to be quite
mindful OF things around him, and his faeile
pen puts those observations in very reada-
bic form. They are placed at our disposal,
and no doubt viii be used more or less freely
as they come to hand:
Dear E-As well might the astronomer
attempt to describe the Milky Way, as for
me to attempt to describe ALI the interest
ing and wonderful things we have seen
since last wrote you. As the astronomer
selects single stars, and attempts, though
feebly, to describe them, so I will select
one or more of the objects we see and at
tempt, though more feebly, to give you
some idea of them. E..e .4s.t
To-day we attended the ceremony of
blessing the lambs from the wool Of which
the pontifcal robes are made. 1t was in
the church of St. Agnes, about mile out
side the city walls. When wearriYed, we
found the road and open space ia front lit
orally packed with carriages and crowds of
people thronging the passage On alight-
ing, We were besieged by erevd of beg
gars, whose importantly exceeded any
thing We have before seen, even in this
country, which is often deseribed--though
ineorreetly-as nation of beggars. On
looking for the church which had attract
ed such a concourse, we were surprised TO
see only mass of low, mean looking build
ngs, and on entering, instead of going up
an imposing staircase, we began to descend.
1t is true, the staircase was wide, and the
steps polished marble, and imposing; but
we descended forty-five steps and then en-
tered one of the most imposing churches
VIC have seen.
The services had commenced, being con-
Quoted by Cardinal and some thirty
priests, all in gorgeous robes, and SPLEEN
did organ and choir. Churches here are
not seated like ours, but they have a large
number of chairs piled up by the door, and
people take them as they go in, and pay
two cents for their use, and thus the church
was filed to its utmost capacity.
Under the altar, they say st. Agnes is
buried, on the spot where she was executed
by order of the Roman Emperor, as a Chris
tar, martyr; and over the altar, a splendid
picture of st. Agnes kneeling before the
block, one executioner about to draw her
head down to the block and another with
an ak ready to cut it off; and near by the
emperor in robes of state. on throne, and
a multitude of spectators crowdfng around
all life-size, or larger, for they appeared
full size at the distance we were from them.
The ceremony, or performance, as it
should be called, was principally music, Of
the highest order, and reading and chant
ing by the Cardinal and priests, with burn
ing of incense, and many genufeetions.
First they celebrated High Mass, with great
pomp, during which procession of BOYS
in white robes, and each carrying lighted
candles, worked their way up and down,
and through the audience; and at the close
of High Mass two lambs, as white as snow.
their legs tied with scarlet ribons, and thev
lying on scarlet pillows, were brought in
each borne by priest in his arms, much
as you would carry a baby on pillow, and
accompanied by a procession of other
priests, all in flowing robes These were
carried to the altar and held before the Car
dinal, who proceeded to bless them in the
| name of the Father. Son and Holy Ghost:
oO6 fba1 ha in fba mo b1a--.1 II.
whole audience. l feel'it a sacrilege. and
almost blasphemy to use these words in
giving this description, and vet there is no
other way that can convey to you the ter
rible blasphemy of the performance the
name of reEgionl
In all that vast audience we could scarce
ly see person who was not, like ourselves.
a sight-seer, and have no doubt at all
there were many more Americans there
than Catholics. We never go into these
churches on Sunday, but feel that we shall
not see Rome unless we see some Of its
naUBlneries - aa
AS the performance progressed, and the
people became anxious to see, they began
to- stand up, and then, as the lambs were
brought in, they stood on their chairs. Of
course, nobody could see the better for that.
as they all did the same, but hey had the
satisfaction of trying. When the blessing
was concluded, and the lambs were being
carried out, the whole audience made a
rush to get near them, throwing the chairs
into piles to make room. Many laid their
hands on the lambs, some stroked them.
and saw one woman-no doubt a good
Catholic her arms around one of
the lambs-pillow and alI-and give it a
good hug. Coming out, we saw. the same
| throng of beggarS, with tho same importu-
nifty, and our courier said they cursed the
people for not giving them more.
On our way home, we saw them making
garden-turning over the soil with sRovels
by large gangs of men, in fields of many
acres; and in one place, they were break,
ing up the soil to the depth of three feet,
and pulyerizing it as they turned it over
| have never seen such fertility as the gar
den and vineyard lands of the suburbs Of
these Italian cities, and I Judge one reason
to be, the deep soil eultivation-th though
they say the soil here is all volcanic, and
sureharged with those minerals that are
adapted to vegetation s
Rome, January 81, 1876. -.