The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-01-19
CHRISTMAS AT ST. PETERS.
Scenes in the Great Roman Cathedral
"A Gorgeous Spectacle.
From, tie Baltimore sun.

A Gorgeous Spectacle.
From tie Baltimore sun.
ROME, Dec. 20. Christmas morning in
st. Pc er's is the sight of a lifetime. The
mind that appreciates tone and color could
not but be awed with the kaleidoscope
scenes of splendor in the great Cathedral
yesterday morning. Not since the Italian
occupation Of the papal territory i'll 1870,
say those who know, has there been such a
natal celebration in the wondrous tasilica.
Additional interest was given by the pres
ence of the thousands of pilgrims from all
quarters of christendom who have come to
the golden jubilee of Pope Leo. The
pentecoStal incident was exempEtied in the
tongues spoken, as varied as the
dress and manners of the visitors.
AS in all instances with the first
visit of strangers, the eyes are mystitied,
not so much by the vaStness of the structure
as by its symmetry and exquisite proper
tons. The great Cathedral, which in its
initial impression appears smaller than one
would ave anticipated, gradually grows
upon the comprehension until its vastness
is fully realized The objects in the Cathe-
dral assume proportlonate magnitude.
Statues, In height, treble the normal stature
OF nspaiutlngs glorious in the verislmlll-
tude of their plastic treatment, repro
ducing on a colossal scale familiar scenes
and incidents from the Scriptures; tombs,
shrines and monuments of imposing pro
portions, and many of them severely
beautiful, confront the visitor on every
hand. In the story of a single visit
the beauties of st. Peters could
not be faithfully told. | will only under
take, therefore, to treat the scenes | wit
messed there in comparison with the pictures
of church life with which one is familiar in
the United States. A more beautiful day
for the contrast never came from the skies.
The full moon that hung late into the morn
ing over the hills of Rome, as if 10th TO have
its silvery brightness lost in the golden
sheen of the sun, faded slowly away to make
room for the conqueror of darkness. Then
daylight bathed 1T. Peters in streams of
richest tints From dome and window, in
alses and chapel, came the sutfuslng
colOrs, thinning in dazzling effects
the memories of Christian achievements
and warlike submission. The odor of in
cense, clrcling from many affairs, tioated
from tabernacle to pillar until its pervad-
ing scent wrapped in delightful perfume
the varied avenues of the mighty church.
Through steel-barred chapel gates, over
marble and past golden ornaments, were
waited sounds of delightful music, as the
singers of the chapel choir sent forth the
notes of sacred anthems All was i'll har-
mony with the festival. From beneath the
mammoth mat that covered the main door
way entered nobleman and peasant, stIan-
ger and resident, Catholic and Protestant,
until at one time it was estimated there
were $4,000 persons present in the con-
glomeration of dress, language and religion.
MASS AT TWENTY SEVEN AFFAIRS.
On twenty seven affairs white-robed priests
were celebrating mass. Each new ceremony
ifli tod ltrtl I'LL
the sacristrv door by an acolyte It's sounds
concentrated the attention of hundreds of
newcomers upon the officiating clergyman.
On Bonded knees. without scat or other sup
port, they remained on the cold marble
flooring until the concluding prayer was
u tered. So continued the soleInnties until
over 100 rites were performed High mass
followed high mass in the Choir chapel
until the senses were bewildered with the
repeated pageants of pomp and music.
Cardinals IN all the maiesty Of their gorge
ou5 We tments, ArchbishoIs in purple robes,
Bishops and other prelates, priests ard
choriSters, the latter i'll SUPPLIES and black
cassocks, lined the precincts Of the church,
making on the whole a scene of exquisite
richness and beauty-panoramic ever
changing.
MUSIC BY MALE VOICES.
The music was superb. The first thought
was the exquisite shades of harmony at
tanned by the singers, and naturally one
elbOwed through the cOncourse to catch a
glimpse of the expected female artistes
the visitor was sure he heard. Imagine his
surprise Of finding that the soprano trils
and other vocal exhibitions of a very diff
cult character proceeded from the Threats
of moustached men, young and old. A
woman singer never participates in the
church services of Rome. Men supply all
the talent, and amazingly well they do it.
They are a distinctive class, who devote
their lives to singing in churches, for which
services the best of them-those at St
Peters and st. John Lateran-receive
Coo. day only when they are actually at
work. Among them are voices the like of
which are never heard in the United States.
aud which could readily command there
thousands of dollars yearly Yet no induce
ment Is sufficient to seduce these men from
the careers they have chosen. Seemingly
unconscious of all surroundings, they throw
tervOr and earnestne into their duties
that makes their singing all the more re
markable. Their labJrs ut St Peters yes
terday were a feature. Into the Iarthast
recesses, up to the Hottest heights of the
temple, their notes penetrated, riveting the
attention of those within their sight and
drawing the distant wanderer to them.
GROOPS OF NORSHIPERS.
When the music ceased the crowds only
then surged on their way sightseeing.
Here groups of peasants pressed close to
the garments Of priest at the foot of an
altar There penitents took up their posi-
tions in line to enter box where confess
sions were being heard in eleven different
languages by as many clergymen; in front
of these receptacles boys, girls, pretty
maidens, wrinkled women, weather-stained
men were Frustrated with joined hands,
awaiting to he touched on the head by a
long rod projecting from each professional,
which the priests use as a symbol of mor,a al
humiliation. Company after company filed
in front of the sitting statue of st. Peter,
in bronze, twelve hundred years old, on a
throne of white marble, beneath canopy,
ard kissed the right foot, now worn to a
silver brightness by the oscillations of the
faithful. In all directions the impressive
ness of devotion and ritualism was mani
fest.
ANOTHER SIDE TO THE PICTURE
Witha there was a decidedly profane side
to the picture. Women strange to the city
and its prevailing religion entered unoccu-
pied sanctuaries and sat on the altar steps,
gossipping, laughing, Iiticising the phases
of life before them Soldiers, in top-boots
and clanking swords, had lots of fun over
the genuflections of the civilians, coarse rus
tics sat on the gorgeous marble railing sur
rounding the tomb of Peter, and. as they
swung their legs leisurely to and fro, spat
unfortunately over the mosaics. In this