Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1879-04-02


A recent letter from Ross Turner 10 a rela-
tive 10 this city contains tho following descrlp
ton cf All Souls Day 10 Munich. If you
should consider tho article worthy of place 10
the Star. you would confer favor by publish
ing 1t. L.
x = | never fully realized that feeling OF
reverence with which the Catholic people OF
Bavaria seem to hold "All Saints Day. and
the next following one "All Souls Day." until
this year, when it was almost by accident
brought to my notice. As sas passing the
Court church of St. Michael" | met friend
who was Just coming out; be rem arked upon
the beauty of tho music in ths requiem. noW
nearly ended. | catered, and ono Of the first
things that attracted my attention was mag
nicent catafa|que in the centre OF the church,
which was blazing with lights 80 that the blaok
velvet pail aud flowers were quit lost IN the
glare, aad mado spectacle OF deep interest.
The solemn organs tone resounde ed through the
church again, and the choir b;.gan the LA
chrymosa" 10 that grandest hymn of all ages,
the Dies irae."
"Lachrymosa dies lila,
Jua resurget OK favills
Ju1caudus bomo reus."
The strains of solemn music--crowds Of de.
vout worshippers-the faint ojor Of uceus,,-
that intepss feeling for the dfad-eveu the oil, l.,
dusty, time worn tomb5, before which Light
we're burning, and hung with funeral wrsaths,
impressed me to an extraordinary degree. The
services being brought to a close, procession
OF priests, robed in black. left the alter aud pro
cccdcd to the royal vaults. s.immediately beneath,
by stalrwaJS oC either side. Tbese s,arTsys
arc closed by slabs Of stone, and are never opeu'
cd except oocs 10 each year, or to receive the
remains OF those cpti;ied by divine right or
blood to rest here. | followed tho crowd, and
descended. The largest room, should tbiok
about thirty feet IN larn, with a low ceiling, bad
nofhlcg at ai! remarkable in it's appearance
L. was iIiuGina:ed with numerous ighta, snd
nunber of the Kings body guard were prescott
as guard OF honor. | can hardly imagine q
moro striking costume than tbelrs-a white
coat elsboTate|y embroidered in light blue and
silver, golden epaulots s.co helmet, upon
which is 'be hlog' : arms 10 gold, and superb
white plume hsDgipE down the back; tight blue
paDtal1nos. aud high riding boots. They STOOD
10 do22'iog relief from the dust and mold of
even this royal vault. 4 glance around gavs
10 my eyes 8 rather novel slghts | can assure
you. On either side vas collection OF cotius,
llrge and snaNI, sJne covered with inscriptions
aGd deccrsti0n7 and | should Judge them to
be made ct lead; ooc Of them was evidently of
the Rocco style, and wss especially noticeable
Over the whole was thrown pail, which was
here and there lifted to shoR griuuiug skulls,
while at the head @a4 40 immense CUSHION,
upon which rested the crown and rogalis, and
wreaths aud garlsnds Of hnwcrs. all 10 led. But
fer The moLotouy Ct co!ers thc effect would
havo been fne,
Hcre rests one CT tho old "kurursts" whose
naue has long passed from the memories of
most men. Although this cotin was seyera!
Centuries CID there was DO peroeptible difference
from the c0f1ins OF Eugene BeauharDai5 aud bis
wife, the daughter OF Maxinilisn, Joseph The
lst, who died 10 1921 believe. 10 the church
above is cnagn!fceu. monument to Thoywal.
drer. erected 10 lis memory by the present
empress Of Brazil. II this vault rests msuy Of
the kurlurstg OF Bavaria with their families,
the most OF them quite forgotten. William the
5th alone escapes IN, fate-his monument is
tbs splendid caurch itself. Among all this
great c,mpauy Of departed grandeur, the son
of French p|aoter, Eugene Bcauharnais.
comes ia for the greatest share OF notice, sni
why Because Napoleon married his mother !;
such Is fame founded upon circumstances.
The croHd pass slowly 90 10 silence pass the |
rows of Ieaden Cities from one Of a later date, |
buried 10 h>wers aud brilliant witt mapy lights |
to soue little baby priaco, who died ever and |
ever So maoy years ago, whose parents are |
here TOO as we'll as generations then unborn. |
The throng locked iu cold curiosity upon all |
this, and read on the tablets 10 the wall the |
names and titles As | went up i1to the .uu.
light which fills the CHURCH, | thought that |
cremation was better than the way they did it |
beDesth-an urn containing the ashes OF king |
or duke would be much more interesting to look |
upon than those lopg leaden boxes With the |
same amount Of royal dust.
then weut dowu to The church Hhiob coz |
tains the remains Of tTo Of the dead kioes of |
Bavaria, Nix Joseph, ,h. lst, aud Ms1milian, |
the 81. (Ludwir, the l5t, lies 10 tie msqnlf |
cent Basillca of ST. Bobtac,, Which ne built |
durirg bis reieu.) The royal vault in this
church is qai'e small, nothing remarkable 10
its pIea1snce-rsIsed a few inches from
the floor, aud bshiod gateway 10 u
sort of bake oven aperture are the
cofi0s Of Max Joseph tho lst, and Max
Enmapral. who was so signs!y defeated
by the Duke cf MARLBOROUGH at the bsttle of
Biindhein. or Blenheim, July 2l-t. l7O4. l
am certsio, from their Portraits, that pelther OF
these gentlemen ever occupied less tpaos whils
livi5g than they do at the present time ana
can further say that many of our merchant
princes have more comfortable and elegant rest
iug places than these two most iusirious Of
be powerful upd wealthy house Of Wttelsbsck.
These kiogs we're 100 wise to spend immense
SUMS 90 vaults, bu. left behind greater mouu-
ha oG -. l..