The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-03-07
MAKING A NEW SAINT.
The Pope's Appearance in the Hall of
Qualification.

(Rome Dispatch to the Baltimore Sun. J
Am ong the many ceremonies that
Rome has to offer to the sight of the curl
Gus or religiously inclined traveller, one
of the most interesting is that of beati-
| fication. When, after long and keen and
scrupulous examination. the merits of
some person of conspicuous virtue are
declared to be of superior OF heroic char
| acter-that is to say, heroioally Writ uous
and that this virtue is further con-
| frned by at least two undoubted mira
| Giles wrought through the intercession of
this person, then Justification follows.
Last Sunday such ceremony took
place at ST. Peters at Rome. The per-
son so honored was a poor franciscan
monk. Frank Teoatilo da Corte, who
died over 200 years ago. To sour faster,
quicker age'' it seems long time to wait
for honors. But, Ron the other hand, the
man who wished his memory kept green
might feel satisfied at such remembrance
SO long after hisydeath.
The chief attraction for the strangers in
Rome from over the seas and beyond the
N ountains and for the students in semi
nar1es and for nuns and friaFs of the
same franciscan order of the new Beato,
was that OF seeing the pope come to
pray at the altar in the hall of Beatifi-
cation in the afternoon. This hall is over
the vestibule OF st. Peters, and is exactly
the same size. In the days when the pope
| was still ruler Of Rome it was known as
the hall ofSthe lavanda, or washing of the
feet, where, on Holy Thursday, the pope
washed the feet OF IS poor priests in
me nf Gbrict
his disciples, and where he afterward
| served them at dinner. 1t is long,
narrow hall, with five windows on each
side, those on the left opening on the
great piazza in front of the church, and
those on the right to the interior of St.
| Peters. There are three tribunes, or
small galleries. one over the other, not
unlike the stage boxes in a theater, built
into each window. These tribunes are
set apart for the more select visitors.
Some Of them are occupied By embassa-
doris. ministers and attaches from the
several legations, and distinguished mem
bers Of the religious orders, more espece
tally Franoiscans, who gather in force
TODAY to pay respect to their own. TIL
walls between these galleries are bright
ly painted and lightened up with heavy
| gold ornaments. The curtains are of
crimson silk, with heavy gold fringe and
tassels. A soft glow of thousands Of can
dies, whose light struggles with that of
the sinking sun, renders the atmosphere
within the hall warm and rich in tone.
| 1t is needless to say that the hall was
packed, and the great human mass had
! filled the ante-room and even the Sala
| Regla, and even then there was not place
for all who presented themselves. 1t was
reported that many tickets of admission
had been forged and sold at hotels at
prices varying from Sd to S. The pope
xxos irfo he hol1 -,
crimson and gold in color. which was
set down after the hall was entered, and
great curtain drawn over the door to
shut out the cold air. He came forth
| from this and assembled portautina, or
chair, which was carried by eight bearer
in red damask suits. He wore the usual
| white soutane and the little white skull
cap on his head. His shoulders were
covered with a purple mantelette, edged
with fine white fur-ermine-and lined
with the same material. His appeara nc @
was the signal for the outbursts Of cheer
ing, the waving of handkerchiets and
other similar signs of enthusiastic JOY.
He is, apparently, no feebler today than
| he has been at any time these last five
years. He looks evon better than he did
a month ago, when I saw him last, and
| his movements are more active. was
now looking down from a balcony on
this procession as it moved through the
narrow aisle kept free amid the crowd
There were the usual Swiss guards and
noble guards, in their bright array, the
| daming-hued costumes of the consistorial
advocates, she ''suits Of solemn black''
of the private chamberlains, the vermil-
lion-colored robes of cardinals and the
rich purple of the bishops-all forming q
Kaleidoscope Of the brightest and most
varied TINS. And then the pale-faced,
white-robed old man, the center and the
crown of the whole group, whom the
crowd saluted with joyous cries and ac-
clamations-aH contributed to compose a
picture for the eyes and the mind that
those who were here will not readily
| forget.
And SO the pope was brought up to the