The colored patriot., 1882-05-11
Th6Cathedral Of~FOleqo, Spain:

The L athssd.rdl - foleds. long the
seat Of the Spanish primate. stands in
the first rank of cathedrals, and is in
vested with a ponderous gloom that has
something almost savage about it. For
ak centuries art, eccleSiasticism and
royal power layished their resources
upon it, and its dusky chapels are load.
ed with precious gems and metals, taW-
drv though the style of their ornamen-
tation often is. The huge pillars that
divide its five nayes rise with peculiar
inward curve, which gives them an
elastic look of growth. They are the
giant roots from which the rest has
spread. Under the golden gratings and
Jasper steps of the high altar Cardinal
Mendoza lies buried, with number of
the older Kings of Spain, in grew
some sunless vault; but at the back of
the altar there is contrived with the
atrical effect burst of white light from
q window in the arched ceiling, around
the pale radiance Of which are
assembled painted figures, gradually
giving place to others in verita
Bic relief, all spraw hg, flying,
falling down the wall lnclOsing the
altar, as if one were suddenly per-
mitted to see a swarm of saints and an
gels careering IN beam Of real super
natural illumination. Apriyate covered
gallery leads above the stree from the
archbishop's palace into one side of the
mighty ediiice; and this, with the ram
bling, varied aspect of the exterior, in
portions resembling a fortress, with a
stone sentry-box on the roof, recalls the
davs Of prelates who put themselves at
the head of armies, leading in war as in
everything else. A spacious adjoining
cloister, full Of climbing ivy and figs,
Spanish cypress, the smooth-trunked
laurel-tree, and many other groWths,
all bathed in opulent sunshine, marks
the site of an old Jewish market, which
Archbishop Tenorio in 1889 melted q
mob to burn in order that he might
have room for this sacred garden. But
the voices of children now ring out from
the upper rooms of the cloister building,
where the widows and orphans Of cathe-
dral servants are given free homes.
Through this 9 cl0istcr of the great
church, it was that Ccrvantes says he
hurried with the Ms. Of Cid Hamete
Benengeli, containing Don QuiXote' 5
history, after he had bought it for half q
real-iust two cents and a half.
A temple of the barbaric and the bar
barous, the cathedral dates from the
thirteenth century; but it was preceded
bv one which was built to the Virgin in
her lifetime, tradition says; and she
came down from heaven to visit hel
shrine The identical slab on which she
alighted is still preserved in one of the
chapels. A former inscription said tC
| believers: "Use yourselves to kiss il fOl
your much consolation" and then
obedient lips have in time greatly wOrr
| down the stone. Later on, the church
was used as mosque by the infidel con
querors, and when they were driven on
it was pulled down to be replaced by th(
present huge and solemn structure. But
| BY compromise with the subjugate(
| Moors, a Muzarabic mass Ca seeming
mixture of Mohammedan ritual will
Christian Worship was ordained to b.
said in particular chapel; and there it i
recited still, every morning in the year.
attended this weird half-Eastern cere
mony, which was conducted with an eX
traOrdinary. inceSsant babble Of rapiC
prayer from the priests in the stalls
precisely like the inarticulate hum on
imagines in mosque. On the foo
below and in front of the altar steps wa
placed a richly draped chest, perhap
meant to represent the tomb OF Mo
hammed in the Caaba, and around
stood lighted candles. During the loni
and involved mass one of the younge
priests, in appearance almost an i'm
beetle, had the prayer he was to rea
pointed out for him by an altar-bO
with what looked like long knife-blad
used for the purpose. Soon after a
incense-bearing acolyte nudged hin
energetically to let him know that hi
turn had now come. This was the onl
evidence | could discover of any pre-
gress in knowledge or goodness result
ing from the Muzarabic mass.-Geor9
p LdthrOp, IN Ha1pe7's Magazine.