Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1896-04-09
WEDDINGS IN ROME.
Tho Ceremonies Differ Much from Those
In This Country

inc ceremonies Diner Much from Those
In This Country.
There is fixed idea in the Roman
mind that the only two months of the
year suitable for weddings are May and
October, the former because it is not
yet too hot to make the honeymoon
tour unpleasant and the latter because
it is not yet too cold to get up and be
married at eight o'clock in the morn
ing, for among the upper class eight
o'clock is the fixed and orthodox hour.
Marriage in Italy is essentially and
primarily religious ceremony, ac-
companied by mass and holy commun-
ion, the latter involving fasting until
the ceremony is over.
Fashionable weddings are usually
celebrated in the private chapel of q
cardinal, bishop or monsignore, at
whose house the breakfast is usually
given, instead of at the brides home.
There are also various other differ
ences, which make a curious impress
sion on the mind of an English girl
unknown; instead there are four wit
nesses in attendance two for the
bridegroom and two for the bride; they
must be men of the Catholic faith,
who are able to swear that the con-
tracing parties are free to marry.
During the marriage ceremony the wit
nesses must stand close to the bride
and bridegroom, in order to hear their
vows and to feel satisfied that they
are made of their own free will, COM
pulsion being one of the two reasons
for which the church can annul a mar
rage. After this the witnesses retire
to the background and low mass is
laid, music never being so much as
thought Of. There is special mass
in which at one point silver tablet,
called "pax," is kissed by the priest,
with the words: "Peace be with you,"
and then carried to the married couple,
to be kissed by them in turn. After
the mass there is pause and silence
in the chapel for about quarter of an
hour, while the priest and all who have
communicated make their thanksgiv-
ing.
The breakfast, according to English
ideas, is a most curious morning meal,
consisting of coffee, ices, cakes and
sweets in great variety. When it is
over boxes or bags of confetti are
distributed by the bride to all the gen.
tlemen present and by the bridegroom
to all the ladies. They are also sent
with the ''letter de faire part" to all
intimate friends not able to attend the
wedding, and vary from the simplest
white satin bonbon bag to the boxes
made of solid silver.
When the newly married pair have
said "good-by" they drive to st. Peters
to pay the traditional visit to the tomb
of the prince of the apostles. Almost
any morning in May or October one
may see bride, in her wedding dress,
kneeling with her husband under the
great dome of ST. Peters. The we'd
ding party has in the meantime broken
up, to reassemble, however, later at
the station to complete the farewells.
The presents are often displayed the
evening before at a reception given at
the house of the bride. All the
presents are given to her; even
friends of the bridegroom who
do not know her send him some
thing for the bride. An audience of
the pope is usually obtained day or
two previously, in order to ask his
blessing on the two lives now to be
spent together.-Chicago Chronicle.