The record-union., 1894-05-19
HONORS TO ST. AVILA.
A Sacramento Girl Describes the
Scenes in St. Peters.
She Considers the Pope Greater Than
Any King-The Immense Crowds in
the Famous Temple.
Letter of Sacramento Girl to Her Parents
HOTEL PENSION AVENZI,


CAPo LIE CASE 70,
ROME. April IA, 1894.
Mrs. III. and her daughters have urged
me to continue with them this summer,
and go through England and return in
September with them to California.
Ia Rome they all have had slight i'll
ness, but l have escaped so tar, because
have used great care; have taken my
jacket with me on all excursions, even in
the heat OF the day. Have bought little
cap of Roman colors for the baby to wear
when he is one year old. Will buy some
coral and tortoise shell presents, but they
say all these Italian wares can be had
cheaper in London than here, except
photographs-these last are cheaper here
than in any other place i'll the world.
Rome is filling up with Spanish pill
grims. Fifteen thousand are going to at
tend service at st. Peters tomorrow.
We have tickets, and will be part of the
fifteen thousand people in that huge tenn
pie.
We meet the Spanish hidalgos at every
street corner, with gay handkerchiefs on
their heads, broad black hats, tight-titting
black trowsers and peculiar shoes and
in the Vatican they came in swarins,
doing" the sculpture gallery in thirty
minutes! Their women look very pretty
in black wells over their shining hair, and
big earrings. They wear big bracelets
and neat white aprons.
Sunday noon-I have just returned
from the first service at ST. Peters. 1t
was not at all crowded even with the 15,-
O00 or 70, 900 people there. There is a long
and narrow inclosure down the center, in
which the Pope will be carried this after
noon. The pilgrims were admitted to the
right of this barrier and the rest of us to
the left. The church was beautifully
decorated, there being at least 100000
| candles around the high altar and the
arch in front of it. Men were lowered in
ropes from the dome to light these can
dies. Back of the high altar there were
rows and rows of candles around Il COW
cred picture. This was the picture of st.
Avila, the saint in whose honor the es-
pecial service is given. At either side,
over the two large organs, there were
other pictures, also surrounded by thou
sands of lights. These pictures repre-
sented some of the miracles which this
Spanish saint had done. We went early
and waited long, having found good
places on one OF the large marble col
umns. Most elegant royal guards We're
walking around, clad in immaculate
white trousers, high patent-leather boots,
DrumMajor hats of fur and blue coats
with white braiding. Each man was 4
! feet inches, bareheaded covered with
| his cylinder of fur, you cali imagine that
each lowered above the small Italians.
The Swiss Guards were also in attend
ance. They had white gauntlets and
shining helmets, with full white horse
hair hanging down their backs. At 1C
O'Clock the procession entered. First came
| the Swiss Guards. then the Cardinals,
Archbishops, Bishops and choir boys,
followed by the Imperial Guard, There
were $50 boys in white and black gowns,
and they made a beautiful sight as they
| slowly walked up to the choir.
After long prayers, of which we could
not hear word, the curtain was drawn
| from the front of the picture of the saint
| The music continued through most of the
service; the boys voices rang out clear
and loud and sweet, almost filling thai
! immense edifice. l shall never forget the
scene. The Pope is greater than any
! King to my mind.
Sunday evening-The crowd at the
| afternoon service was imnense-im-
mense-but st. Peters was by no means
| full. When the heavy red curtains were
| pulled aside and the procession entered g
shout went up that positively shook the
church. The voices hardly seemed hu.
man, for, like the roaring wind, they
swelled from fortissimo to as many triple
is as you wish to supply. The enthusi
asm was contagious, for we ice-cold Prot
estants waved and shouted with the rest
The Pope was carried in a handsom,
chair, which was draped in red. on th,
| shoulders of twelve men down the center
within the barrier or aisle. He had on
white and red gown, with his miter O.
crown on his head, and ne blessed tn,
people from right to left. Behind hin
two men carried two gorgeous ostricl
feather fans. 1t was an imposing specta
Gle.
protest against publishing my letters
in the paper; it is not fair.
GERTRTrDE MIrIER