The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-02-09

A CORRESPONDENT Of the N. Y. o.
server Gan Italian LADY,, writing from
Rome, gives an account of the celebration
of the festival of the Epiphany, on the
9th of January, at the church of the Ara
Coeh in Rome.
The church of st. Maria d ara Cdeh
stands on the Capitoline Hill, on the site
of the Temple of Jupiter Capitolinus. 1t
was built in the 9th century. 1t was
here, as Gibbon tells us, that ION the
18th of October, 1854, as he sat musing
amid the ruins of the Capitol, while the
barefooted friars were singing vecpers,
that the idea of writing the Decline and
Fall of the city first started to his mind. "
At Epiphany, the ceremonies at the
Ara C@h are extremely interesting, at
least to the more ignorant portion of the
Roman people. There is preserved in
this church very remarkable relic. 1t
is nothing less than doll, representing
the infant Saviour, painted by st. Luke
himself, having been first carved by a
Franciscan pilgrim out of a tree which
grew on the Mount of Olives. The work
of st. Luke was done on the figure while
the pilgrim was asleep. This holy object
is called in Rome the SantisSimo Bam-
6ino (or Holy Baby, and is represented
by the priests as possessing miraculous
powers. 1t is gorgeously arrayed in
precious gems and jewellery, and Murray
in his handbook of Rome, says, cit is
held in such sanctity in cases of severe
sickness, that it is said by the Italians
themselves to receive more fees than any
physician in Rome 1t keeps coach,
and is taken by priest to the bedside
of the sick when medicine has failed.
The PreSepio, or Festival of the BAN
bino, on the 9th of January, is attended
by crowds of peasantry from all the sur
rounding country. The altar of the
church is converted into sort of stage,
on which the Nativity is represented by
means of pasteboard figures as large as
life.
This is religion in Rome, and as we see
that Bishop Keane took up collection
in Baltimore the other day for the build
ing of certain Roman churches in Char
lottesville, Culpeper, and elsewhere in
Virginia, we think it would be well for
the good Catholics in these places to pro-
cure a copy of the Bambino and the paste
board figures, and next January they can
have a Pyesepio.
This is one of the performances that
takes place under the shadow of the Vat
lean. Does the Pope believe in the mir
aculous powers of the Banabino? If he
does, is he infallible? If he does not is
he fraud? Perhaps DR.. Witherspoon
can tell us whether there is any allusion
to the subject in Liguori?
Next Holy Thursday Cor some day
during Holy Week. equally wonderful
relics will be exhibited to the faithful in
the churches in Rome5-i the church Of
st. John Lateran the heads of st. Peter
and st. Paul, a lock of the Virgins hair,
and piece of her petticoat, and the very
porphyry pillar from which the cock
crowed after Peters denial. At ST..
Peters, the Pope himself on Good Friday
will show the handkerchief of st. Teron-
lea Called the Sudori,1ne) with which
our Saviour wiped his face on his way to
the cross, and on which he left the i'm
preston Of his features. Also the spear
which was thrust into the Saviours side,
and some other relics. Such is Roman
ism under the nose of the Holy Father