Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-07-05
SIGHTS IN PERUGIA.
CARDINAL GIBBONS HONORED AT
AN OLD ETRUsCAN TOWN.
visiting Sacred Shrines-A Welcome
Guest mt the Palace Of Archbishop
Foschi-Thc yirgin's Wedding
Riug-Old Manuscripts, &c.

like a royal cortege") were the words
uttered yesterday by woman in the Ca
thedral OF Perugia "a Cardinal Glib
bons and his friends passed out into the
street. The crowd that had gathered In
the Cathedral to. see the stranger Car
iinal respectfully made way as he APP
preached. and his progress was delayed
by the numbers who knelt to kiss his
episcopal ring. on the street the pro-
found respect shown him was quite re-
markable. as, accompanied by Mgr
Foschi, the Archbishop Of Perugia, who
seems 10 be universally beloved. he made
his way to the ancient and historic pal
ace of the municipality.
The Archbishop had made preparations
TO have the Cardinal see the objects OF
greatest interest-religious, historical. and
artistic-which Perugia has TO show. 1t
was impossible IN the time at his disposal
to see everything, but the most memora-
bic were visited.
\ SACRED RELIC.
At the Cathedral the principal relic
that IS to say. the espousal-ring Of the
Virgin Mary-was shown. This act was
perhaps, the most gracious that the Arch
bishop had IL in his power to do in honor
of the Cardinals This ring Is exhibited
10 tho public gaze twice In the year. II
Is preserved I'm safe. 10 which there are
fourteen keys. which must all be brought
together to the opening. These keys are
held by fourteen different societies and
religious brotherhoods. The Archbishop
holds one. the municipality another, the
merchants guild another, and 80 on.
Some OF these keys are excellent speci-
mems of the locksmith's art In the tif-
tcenth and sixteenth centuries. All hav-
ing been produced here. at about II o'clock
i'm The morning the shrine was
opened In the presence Of notary from
the municipality who made a record
Of the event, process VERBAL as II IS
termed, and OF the cause for which IL was
ouened-namely. the visit of Cardinal Glib
| bons This notary remained during the
Ger mony until this most interesting relic
was restored TO It's original place and
| closed mp again.
WELCOME TO THE CARDINAL.
4 large crowd had assembled in the
Cathedral during the morning 10 see the
Cardinal. and TO ---sist at this ceremony.
The Catholic Journal Of the city, II Paese.
had previously announced his coming In
the following terms:
Cardinal Gibbons. Archbishop Of Balti-
more. who r. at present ia Rome. de-
string 20 see our city. which was rendered
celebrated In America after the eXaltati0n
/ TO the pontfcal throne OF our former
/ Bishop. Cardinal Pecci and to-day also
/ by our illuslrious fel,Ow-citiZen, Mon
s.gnor Satolli, delegate apostolic 10 the
| United states. viii come 20 US next Mon
J day. and will become a welcome guest at
/ the archiepiscopal palace.
g.e 10
| Of the same stamp as the English Cardi-
| nails. Manning and Wiseman, we have
| given some interesting notes from Paul
! Bourgeois 'Outre Mer'. which VIII be
| grateful TO our readers.
Cardinal Gibbons is most acceptable 70
us for another reason. He the just APP
/ preciator Of men and things. had an I'M
/ limited esteem for our most lamented
| Cardinal Roteli.
I'VE know that when Monsgnor Rotell
was elevated 10 the cardinalate he re-
/ ceived "A most natterlng letter from the
! American prelate. who heartily rejolced
/ with Rotolli on the new dignity conferred
upon him by the Holy Father for the
/ exceedingly learned and profound studies
/ OF the Perueian Cardinal on 81. Thomas
J Aquinas. published in the periodical II
/ Divus Thomas, of P0cenza.
Meanwhile we tender a welcome to the
/ illustrous American Cardinal, and We
/ thank him for the honor he now does US
/ in visiting Perugia and our most beloved
/ Archbishop. as likewise for the high con-
| sderation in which he has held and does
/ still hold our worthy prelates-Cardin ina
! RotelI. Monslgnor SatolH, and MonsgnoI
| FOschi
Tuesday. the 18th of June. the sacred
/ ring will be exposed 10 show 1t. as is
/ customary to his Eminence Cardinal Glib
! bOns."
IL was natural, then. that with this
/ kindly welcome. expressed so charmingly
the people should flock into the Cathedral
| 70 see the Cardinal from a very distant
! land. 50 tenderly associated with some
| Of their most distinguished felow-citizens
THE RING OF THE MADONNA.
TIL ring of the Madonna hangs from
| the top Of a little temple-like shrine
/ formed of four tiny columns supporting
a small cupola. Between each pair oil
columns seated statue OF a prophet
| wrought I'm best style OF art, adds n mar
vellous beauty To this very artistic work
/ The shrine was made in the very best
I period OF Italian Renaissance art, close
upon the end OF the fifteenth century
and IS distinguished by the reserved and
tasteful application Of very excellent or
/ nament.
The ring itself is entirely formed from
one piece OF Oriental alabaster, and was
! not intended for constant wear but was
only used as a ceremonial ring. 1t Il
remarkable for the beautiful opsline
/ tints IL has. which shine from il as II
| Is moved about in the light The tradi-
ton Of IL goes back 20 Apostolic times
As related TO the Cardinal here IN Pc
rugia. it was given by the Madonna &c
St John the Evangelist. who preserved Il
until his death After this event Il
/ passed into the hands Of Jew. from
whom It was obtained by ST. Mustiola
who brought to Chiusi. where she was
put 10 death as a martyr for the Chris
| tan faith and became the sanity pa
| tronesS Of the city Here IL remained un.
| I'll 1913. when il was taken away by a
Franciscan friar named Fra Wintherlus
Of Mayence, who brought it to Perugia
where IL has been since preserved with
| great honor and devotion. In the Canoni
ca-the residence OF the Cathedra
canons-an inscription placed in the wal
relates the bringing Of this ring 10 Pc
rugla by Fra Wintherius.
AN ANCIENT CODEX.
Tn that same building the Cardinal wa.
shown an ancient copy OF the New Tesla
ment. dating from the seventh century
! written on antelope SKIN, stained purple
and In a very dilapidated condition. Blu
enough stil remains to enable one e
read many passages with considerabl,
ease. The manuscript was in Latin. Her
also his attention was drawn to othei
ancient manuscripts. though Of n late
date. chiefly notable for the brilliant
colors and exquisite designs of the LITTLE
pictures at the beginning of differen
books. or in the initial letters Of chapters