The Irish standard., 1893-06-10

very, the like Of which has never been
eoualed in the story of human servitude.
THE WORLDS FAIR:
Notes on the Convent Of LIZ Rabidaand the
Vatican Exhibits. ,.s.@
special to the Irish Standard.
The Convent Of La Rabi de-, which is
no " used ss a shelter for the pictures
and relics Of Columbus, and for the ex-
hibit from the Vatican, is almost an.
exact reproduction Of the original mon
astery in which Columbus himself was
given shelter when he was weary, hum
cry and psnniless, by the generous prior
Juan Perez.
The monastery received it's name La
Rabida, which means an outpost on the
frontier, from the Moors when they had
it In their possessions; when it passed
into the possession Of the Franciscan
Monks, they rs-christened it Santa
Maria do La Rabida. the convent,
stands upon a low headland overlooking,
the lake and when, the landscaps work
around it has been completed it will pres
emit a very cient-looking but interest
ing appearance. The building istwo
stories in height. 1t is built with wood
coated With, staff and rooted with terrs
Gotta tiles. It is surmounted by stem
der wooden cross. The plan OF the build
ing is very simple. The main portion " J.
built around square court or cloister,
the chapel constitutes q wing IN itself.
In the interior a long corridor or gallery
extends around the court, out Of which
|ths cells open. The second story is very
much like the first ia arrangements.
The walls Of the corridors and OF the
rooms are covered with ictures repre-
senting scenes and incidents in the life
and voyages Of Columbus, and Of his
contemporaries. One room is devoted to
quaint looking pictures that depict the
character and custo ms of the natives OF
1.-The island which he discovered. Many
| old and venerable relics are displayed in
every room, among them bong the doors
Of the house in which Columbus was
born in Genoa, the anchor Of his flag
ship, the Santa Maria, the first bell used
in America as we'll g the tjrss one cast
here, and the maps end charts which he
used on his voyages.
The exhibit from the Vatican has been
placed in the chapel. 1t consists Of rare
and valuable historical documents relat-
ing to Columbus ard his discoveries and
several large pictures in mosaic from,
the museum of the Vatican One Of the
finest Of these, entitled the Prophet
Isish, copy from q fresco by Raphael
In the church Of ST.: Augustine, which
required sixteen years labor in it's execu.
tion,w was very seriously damaged in trans
portation. ''St. Peter Weeping" by
Guido Reni, is the subject Of another
that is considered masterpiece. Be-
sides the large mosaics, a number Of
smaller paintings by the old masters
adorn the walls within the sanctuary rail-
ing, but the visitor is not permitted to
enter to examine them very closely.
There is no altar in the chapel but a
desk on which rests large wooden cross
brought from Santo Domingo.
! Lite-size pictures 81 Ferdinand and
Isabella are hung upon the wslls of the
chapel. One representing isabella as
child is exceedingly plain and gives no
hint IF the great beauty that distin'
guished her in womanhood, but in an
other that represents her as q queen, in
armor, an observer cannot fail to see the
nobility Of character, the heroism, the
generous ambition and loyalty that has
made her name illustrious in history.
Here too, il one is 90 inclined, can be
purchased u souvenir Of the convent in
the shape Of ornaments Of fligree silver
mRde in Genoa. sS s@e5 tit 5s
Needless to add that the Convent of
In RabidaS has more than it's quota OF
Icurious visitors. I IN
The thsolo logical editor Of the Now
York Her.id says: We are instructed
that tho cslibacy of the clergy Is not