The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1889-03-22

Christendom was attended with peculiar re-
ligious ceremonies. Each pilgrim on setting
out received from the priest scrip and staff,
together with q coarse wooden gown marked
with cross A blessing was pronounced on
him, and he was accompanied by procession
as far as the next parish. He carried
neither money nor arms, but had to
show q passport from his sovereign and a
letter of communion from his bishop.
He was received by all Christians with
ready kindness; for next In merit to being
ones self pilgrim was accounted the provid-
ing for the safety and comfort of the wayfar
ers. The pilgrimages were often made In par
ties. Hospitals and monasteries were built
for their reception along the n ost frequented
routes and in the city Of Jerusalem, and
Christians residing there exposed themselves
to great dangers In order to go and meet them
on the road Female pilgrims were received
by religious communities of their own sex.
When the pilgrim arrived at the holy city he
prepared himself by fasting and prayer, and
then visited the sepulchre covered with arobe
which he afterward preserved to be buried in.
He viewed Mount Zion, the Mount of Olives,
the Valley of Jehoshaphat, Bethlehem, Mount
Tabor and theothe principal places ascot
ated with the miracles of Christ, and having
bathed in the Jordan, he gathered In the ter
ritory Of Jericho a palm branch, which, on
his return home, he presented to bis priest to
be laid upon the altar in token of the COM
pletion of his enterprise. From this circum-
stance the pilgrims to Palestine were called
palmers. -
The first American pilgrimage to Rome
and Palestine recently started from New
York city. The party consisted of nearly
100 prominent Catholics from various parts
of the United States. The pilgrimage Is
under the personal supervision of Rev.
Charles A. Vissani Of the Franciscan order.
He is an italian by birth, a genial, middle
aged priest, whose very air inspires conf
dence and respect. He is growing beard,
50 that he may not lose respect in the eyes Of
the Turks, who consider that a shaven chin Is
the mark Of punishment or penitence for
some misdeed.
The pilgrimage Is divided into three sec
tons The party will arrive at Cherbourg
on March 2, and the next day win be spent In
Paris on the way to Rome. Marseilles, Nice,
Genoa, Pisa, Florence and Assist will be taken
In. From March Is to the oath the pilgrims
will remain in Rome, where they will be re-
ceived by the pope. Thence by Naples the
travellers will go to Egypt and will spend
three days in Cairo
On Saturday, April 6, the steamer will be
taken at Ramleh for Jaffa, and so on to Jeru-
salem. Five days, including Easter Sunday,
will be spent in Jerusalem, visiting the Holy
Sepulchre, the Sorrowful Way, the Temple
of Solomon, the Garden of Gethsemane the
Mount of Olives, Bethany and all the other
sacred places An excursion will be made to
st. Johns birthplace, Rachels tomb, the
Pools of Solomon and Bethlehem, to the Dead
sea, Jordan and Jericho. On Palm Sunday
the pilgrims will be favored with the palm
blessed on the Saviour's tomb. On Good Fri
day they will make the stations of the cross,
marking step by step the agony of our
Saviour. On Holy Thursday, the day pre-
Jus, those who so desire may participate In
the ancient ceremony Of the washing OF the
feet. On Easter Sunday they will worship
at the very tomb Of the crucified Lord.
From April % to May the second section
will be en- route through the Holy Land. Two
or three days will be spent at Beyrout, a
flourishing city of 10000 inhabitants, con-
tanning an American college, bazars and sew
eral fine carriage drives Damascus and Bael-
bek can be reached at slight expense by dill
gence. On May 90, returning, this section
viii visit the grand exposition in Paris. The
third section will leave Beyrout on May Z for
Constantinople, and will visit, coming home
ward, Athens, Brindisi, Venice, Milan and
Lucerne It will make an excursion to the
Rigi and back, and take the night train ON
May 81 for Paris.