Omaha daily bee., 1894-01-14

~|EHFH 1850 'Ah AANNN " w.
Its sound Hood, accompanied by the soulful
voices OF the singers, almost unintcrruptcdiy
from III to IL o'clock. Then the thousands
pass out into the streets OF the city. In
traversing the length Of the great nave
(somc $50 feet long) one cannot but notice
the very simple and very grand interior of
this church, with its long line of marble
columns on each side, surmounted by a rich
frie2e of mosaic pictures, its gold panclcd
ceiling and remarkably rich floors OF
precious stones and colorod marbles, all in
intricate mosaic.
Tho Roman thousands are treadiug home
ward for roposc or to await the dlwning of
another morning. After the wcird and in
teresting scene Within one is almost iudif-
ferent TO light, to the chilly night air or to
the beauty of night anywhere, though
sensible of the need OF rest. Leaving the
hotel at the early hour of 4;3O a. m. for
morning mass at 3, one does not sec the
same number OF persons moving C~hurChward,
as was the case II few hours ago.
The bells are everywhere softly poaliug
while worshipors, mostly women, hasten to
the churches. The old church was we'll
filled when, at ., the celebrants entered and
music ana song commenced. hundreds OF
women went forward to the cuancel for the
sacrament and all over the church, bril-
liantly lighted as IT was, were kneeling hun
drcds. Now and then Il man and sometimes
a young boy would go forward with down
cast, pious look and folded hands, perhaps
one man TO twenty-five women. For one
hour this service of song and music, prayer,
rising and k~ueeling continued, and then on
passing out all Rome seemed astir as the
people passed homeward for early break
fasts.
Christmas Morning.
Even to n lonely soul there is no fog, no
gloom, no sensation of fading away from eX-
istence because alone among strangers this
glorious morning. Tho hour of sunrise and
the light of new day is RAPIDLY lending Il
brilliancy to all surroundings. Christmas
morning dawns with n lustre that lends to
life u new sensation. Tho world seems
almost now. No other city in the vide
world can so intoxicato ones miud. 1t is
truly said by some one that ono dreams of
Venice as 1t lies smiling under soft sun
rays, with Its gliding gondo!as, its poetry
and song one loves Florence as d charming
thing of life, of undylng grace and beauty.
Yes, this IS true; one dreams OF Venice, one
loves Florence, hut you must worship Rome.
But there is positively nothing else to think
of or do today but to go to church, hear the
music and watch the people, and
ing AT 1880 the night before it would seem
ones prospects for seeing and knowing were
good. So at $3.50 a. m. we are crossing the
great square in front of St. Peters, while
there looms up before us the cathedral of
the world.
st. Peters.
Just as there comes up in the life of every
man, here and there along his career, Il
woman who yields n power though she
may not know i) | fancy this great cathc-
uFul a1eClS Il person on nlSG DtnOluIu0 III.
1t makes one think it charms; it
gives one ambition and new ideas;
it stirs ones being until there is left
small wonder that Catholics worship it.
Under the scintillatlng golden light the
great pile, at once a palace and a mausolcum,
is irresistlbly attractive.
A few moments spent in watching the
people enter will give one an idea of its great
size. Fully 5000 persons must now have
entered within, where the scene presented
was most brilliant. Every one in the great
mass of people seemed to appear in his best
dress, and with the glorious sunshine, the
white ana gold OF the church, with its
wealth of color in its pictures of mosaic, the
delicate blue and light of the dome, the
hundreds and hundreds of lights surround
ing the altar, rich banners hung here and
there, the handsome vestmentS OF the great
officers of the church, all presented a mag
niticent spectacle. When at 10 O'clock the
CelcbrantS entered in their rich robes of
white and gold and the attending boys in
white and red, all bearing the golden in
sigma of Office, the singing commenced.
One can scarcely imagine a heaven richer in
melody or song charm. The scene is indo-
scribable, so also is the music. 1t seemed
all the song of Italy, all the music of Rome
greeted the listening, attentive thousands.
Bowed heads and figures everywhere, burn
ing incense curling in soft vapors in myiiads
of cloud-forms from within the
%chancel, floating out above and
through the music-tillcd space as if to bear
AlS hliolN l. ~ az oO oO
solemn, so rich that one forgets details.
When the last note is heard wavering on
one turns TO find the great throng moving
quietly down through galleries and trihuncs,
through chapcls and nave, out into the bril-
liant day. The spell of it all is broken. 1t
must have been the time of ii dream. Christ
mas in Rome and Christmas music in ST.
Peters. Thore may be for ali more glorious
scenes, more insnirlug sounds, but as for our
ambition, il has been satisfied.
n Papal Reception.
Yesterday, in st. Peters, the pope SAID
mass in the presence of representatives of
the chief Roman Catholic societies, us the
telegraph has already told you. The feeble
old man was carried to the throne in Il sedan
chair, where no behe!d a remarkably bril-
liant assembly, consisting of many cardinals
in royal robes of Office, diplomats and invited
persons of distinction, with n plentiful
sprinkling of the Swiss guard in their red,
yellow and black, a rich and rare uniform,
unlike any other, and numbers of pontiiical
geIdarmcs, as well as Roman citizens ana
city police. While there was every pomp and
display and thousands of eager spectators
there was yet Il kind of pathetic grandeur
lent to it all by the presence OF the frail,
feeble old pope, pale and nervous, who really
seemed weighted down by his simple yet
rich robe, rs he arose from the throne and
leaned forward with an outsJretched hand, |
delicate to almost transparency, and gave
the benediction. His gestures were slow and
measured and his feeble voice, scarcely audi
BILE STA feet away, yet thousands were made
happy by the sight of the great
man, by many greeted the pope-hing.
That scene of yesterday was brilliant
yet sorrowful. The pope's reply TO the
Christmas greetings presented was read by
an appointeo and, of course, was IN able
paper, dwelling as he did upon Christian
glories, the destiny of the Eternal City and
praying that none would seek to revive
PaganiSm to thus deprive Rome Of her dil-
dem, with which he claimed God had
crowned her ut the hands of st. Peter. He
declared that were any people to do so they
would be fighting vainly agliu.t Cos
Almighty's decree. Today we had not this
mental feast, but Il soul feast of music and IA
sight of the intricate and varied rites OF tho
church, performed admldst fitting splendor.
= This ended the church affairs of today,
though il would be delightful 10 hear the
singing of the nuns in the sisline chapel at
the vatican at B o'clock.
The Christmas Dinner.
Threading down through the ere Is of
the great square ana stree 5, a tho ght sur
prisingly near one of ~ilteres oncsrnlng
Christmas dinner is inpelliny Us towar the
hotel. 1t is needless TO say, Though, tlGre
was a fine dinner; that any hing was
fnunl unlpSS H. were wine tllt NvpnII no