Morris tribune., 1896-07-22
NEWS
Gathered by a Tribune Re
porter in His Eastern
Travels.
Interesting Scenery Depicted
of Historic Versuvius and
Surroundings.

the Catacombs is one of the inevita-
BILE duties of the traveller here, no
matter how little time he may find
for anything else. 1t is indeed of un-
failing interest to all sorts and condi-
tons of tourists, from the student of
history or the archeologist to the man
who is ''doing" Europe in FIVE weeks,
and who decides to give forty eight
hours to the Eternal City. The lat
ter, it is true, is disinclined to waste
time on the Catacombs, being under
the impression that we have mines
and tunnels in America which are as
interesting and more practical; but
he comes because some one has told
him that they must be seen; nor does
he feel that his time has been wasted
when he returns
First, there is the drive along the
Via Appia, where careful eyes may
find some of the original stones,
placed long before the era of Chris
tianity. Even the unimaginative
must think of the feet that have
passed over them-from triumphal
professions of Caesar and Titus to
the weary tramp of fettered slaves,
not to mention the distinct vision
that arises of the little group of deci-
Piles who went to meet Paul as far as
Appii Forum and the Three Taverns,
and came back with him to Rome.
Then when you have reached the gar
den that surrounds the entrance to
the Catacombs of St. Calixtus (there
are several rivals, but this is the most
POPULAR you climb down into the
dark passages, you decipher the in
scriptions made by the early Chris
tians who found hiding place here;
you gaze at the spot where the body
of gentle st. CECILIA was found, with
its severed neck; you listen With ris-
ing hair to the story of the tourist
who was separated from the rest of
his party, and who wandered help
lessly in these miles of labyrinth for
days, and who was never found again,
or according to some versions, was
finally discovered in an imbecile con-
dition. This is always related, and
makes you clutch your waxen taper
more tightly and follow closely the
footsteps of the guide until you
blinded into the outer light.
1t is a relief to come back to safe
commonplaces; to buy chocolate from
the Trappist monks and talk to the
two or three who are allowed to break
their VOW of silence, and who appar-
emily enjoy the privilege, conversing
volubly in several languages and on
any topic. One of these (he has a
face that might have been a model
for Carlo DolcD is known as the
beautiful brother" among the gush-
ing American girls and they esteem
it great favor to have him for their
guide in the subterranean passages.
On the way back the driver always
stops at little church and explains
that this is something that you must
not miss seeing. You collect your
few Italian words and inquire what is
the attraction-the building is small
and looks almost as much like way
side inn as place of worship. This
is the church of Domino Quo Vadis,"
and here, according to ecclesiastical
on one occasion when
Peters courage failed him and he
was fleeing from Rome, Christ met
him on the way. Where goest thou,
hdol0I !: dSh0u L 0l0I, Wu0uG6 Gn0
name of the church "To the city, to
be crucified again, in thy stead" was
The answer. The apostle returned at
once to suffer martyrdom, and the
place of the vision is commemorated
oy the impress OF Christ's feet on the
the same story that is
odd in other countries of Mohammed |
and the angel Gabriel. In this case,
however, incredulity is excusaole.
The stone is uncovered (after you
nave paid for the privilege of seeing
u with much formality and rever-
ence; there are the two feet; but the
observant can distinguish the marks
If toenails, leaving one to infer that
he bungling artist designed the nails
IN the bottom of the feet.
Another chapel, further out, on the
site of Paul's execution, is
called the church of the Three Foun-
aims. A bare footed friar explains