The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1885-01-23
ST. PETERS AT ROME.

MAJ II i llk4 ~ IA hXVHAAe lM.
The Greatest and randest Temple Of d.
vine worship In the World-Its Amaz-
Ing Dimensions.
st. Peters Church in Rome is surely
the largest and grandest temple of di-
vine worship on the face of the earth.
Gibbon, the historian, has pronounced
it "the most glorious structure ever APP
piled to the use OF religion" This most
conspicuous building in modern Rome
stands upon the site of Nero's circus, in
the northwestern part Of the city. 1t is
built in the form Of n Latin cross, as are
most Of the great cathedrals of Europe.
According to the most reliable figures,
its extreme length is over 700 feet,
tho greatest width 500 feet, and
the height to the top of the cross 44S
feet. The entire building overs an
aren of more than five acres. But fig
ures give only a faint idea of the vast
dimensions of st. Peters. Let us make
a few comparisons: Thirty good-sized
churches, such as generally seen in
America, could be put inside this great
church and not fill it. Over twenty
thousand persons could find standing
room in it at n Three lofty church
%sisires, n above the other, would
scarcely reach the top of the cross that
surmounts the dome. No crowd ever
fills all its spaces. No human voice can
rench all its aisles. You can almost
lose yourself in its immensely. Day af-
ter day we roamed over the wonderful
structure, almost too weary at night tc
make our way to a resting-place.
In the early part of the fourth centu-
ry the Emperor Constantine built q
magnificent church, on the site now oc-
cupied by st. Peters. This church
was rebuilt several times during the
thousand years which followed. The
foundations of the present structure
were laid by Pope Nicholas v in 1850,
but more than three centuries rolled
o"oy oeAo1o ~ Noo cutlIe1y COLupleteu
In 1885 the work was intrusted to the
hands of that greatest of all masters,
Michael Angelo, then seventy-two years
Of age. The dedication took place in
1926, under the pontifcate of Pope Or
ban VIII. The colonnade was built in
1867, and the sacristy added in 1880.
Thus we see a church founded before
Columbus discovered America, dedica-
ted about the time the Pilgrim Fathers
landed in the now world and finished
only q century ago. Forty-three
popes lived ,reigned and died while it was
building, each one lavishing great treas.
ure upon it. What it cost, nobody on
earth can fully tell. At the lowest cal.
culation, $50, 900, 600 has been expend
ed upon it. Besides this enormous sum
it must be kept in repair at an annual
expense of over $50 1000.
Let us linger q moment on the great
square, or court, called by the italians
a piazza. No other building in the
world has so grand an approach. Al
army of 100000 men might gather il
this vast Enclosure. It is well pavec
and crossed by marble walks. In its
center stands a Lofty Egyptian obelisk
which, including the pedestal, is 49,
feet high. 1t was brought from ancient
Heliopolis by the Emperor Caligula
This gigantic shaft, ten feet square a,
the base, is OF red granite, and weigh.
five hundred tons. Two grand foun.
tains, II on each side of the great ODE
lisk, are continually throwing up theil
thousand jets of bright water, which
turn into feathery spray, waving to anc
fro like plumes in the air; then fall
arched with rainbows, into the immense
porphyry basins below. Sweeping round
to the right and left, partially inclosine
the grand square, are the famous i'm.
posing semi-circle colonnades, consisting
OF 2S4 Doric columns, each one sixty
feet high, arranged in four parable
rows, and the whole covered with q stone
roof. A whole regiment of marble
saints are ranged along the battlements
of the roof. An inscription at the en-.
trance tells us that the great artist
Bernini built the colonnade "for 6
shadow in the daytime from the heat
and for q place of refuge, and for acovert
from the storm and from rain" Qsaiai
w., g. On the higher battlements o
the church itself stand thirteen %colossa.
statues. representing Christ and hi
Apostles.
Passing the two giant statues which
stand on guard at the foot of the stair
way, representing st. Peter and St
Paul, we mount three successive flights
of marble steps and enter a grand YES.
thule, fifty feet wide, sixty-six fee
high, anu extending across the entire
front of the building. At the right ant
left ends of this great portal are the gi
gantic equestrian statues of Constantine
and Charlemagne. From the vestibule
three great entrances lead into the tenn
pie itself. We enter, however, b,
smaller doorways, for the immens.
bronze doors are opened only on grant
occasions. On the extreme rights tn,
"porta SANTA" or holy door, formerly
opened on Christmas eve only once il
twenty-five years, and then walled up
to remain closed for another quarter O.
o century.
Now let us lift the heavy, quilted
leather curtain which closes the common
doorway, and the church, which sur,
passes all other churches in the world
What marvellous temple is before us
We are dazzled by its splendor ant
awed into silence by its vastness ant
grandeur.
vastness which grows, but grows to harmo
nize- -.
All musical in its immensities.
1t is hard to realize that it is the worl
of man. And it is impossible to com
prehend its amazing proportions at frs
sight. But its colossal size will grow
upon you more and more every minute
every hour, every day
Thou seest not all; but piecemeal thou mus
break;
To seperata contemplation, the great whole.
The floor, formed of rich mosaic work