Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1897-07-15
LETTER FROM e. G. ERICSSON.

AFOTHER LETTER FROM e. 6. Ericsson.
Rome and Lucerne - The Ceremony Of
Consolidation at st. Peters.
LUCERNE, SWITZERLAND, June A.
My DEAR MOTHER: We have just
reached here at o'clock, and received
your letter Of May II and the papers.
Also one from silva and one from Cold
field. So we have had good time
reading them. have started out to
write letter most every night for q
week, but by the time l would get my
diary written up, which is quite q
chore, l would be tired out. 1t is q
month to day since we left home, but
seems much longer. I had regular
chills and fever last Sunday at Flor
ence, but broke it up with quinine and
a sweat. But we hope that now we are
out of dirty Italy and will be in coun-
tries where the water and air will both
be good, that our health will be bet
ter. We are enjoying our trip i'm
mensely, and every day wishing that
you could all see what we do. I expect
to get TO Uncle's in ten days, and will
be glad of a rest from travelling and
Juggling valises around.
Sylvia is writing the children about
Florence. Venice and Milan, and am
to write about Rome. AS wrote Mrs.
Reid, we stopped at hotel kept by
Sisters of Mercy, and found it very
comfortable. We staid there five days,
but what pleased us most was that they
got US tickets to admit us to ST. Peters
for the canonization ceremonies when
two new saints were to be made.
Everybody. our nuns and all, said it
was to be the grandest affair in thirty
years, and the only real big show that
has been made since Victor Emanuel
H., as King of Italy, in 1860, deprived
the Pope of temporal power. Thirty
thousand tickets had been printed, we
heard in Naples, and that there were
over 100000 applications for them.
There were excursions of Catholics
from all over the world, and tickets
were sold as high as 800 each by the
ticket scalpers. So when the Prioress
asked if we would like to go, and Of
fered to get US two tickets free gratis.
we just jumped at the chance.
The exercises were to begin at a.
M, so we got up about 4 and had an
early breakfast and took q carriage.
reaching ST. Peters at 5:45. All Rome
seemed to be out, If it was early. Thou
sands of soldiers formed double line
around the church and square, keep
ing every one back. We had to stand
in the jam until 6:45. and then were
admitted to the church. At the three
or four places where our tickets we're
examined, at various doors, the push
ing was something awful, and we felt
very thankful to get in unhurt and
with our clothes on our backs. The
church holds $4,000 people, and was
about full. 1t was lit by thousands OF
tall candles g feet high) in hundreds
of gold and crystal chandeliers, and
the effect was something grand. There
was a passage way rallied of up the
center of the church, about 20 fee,
wide. A line Of the Pope's troops
stood on each side of it the whole
length, as a guard. Heavy ratings
kept the crowd out. These were hung
with red silk with gold fringe, as were
also the columns in the church, the
gold border and fringe being over 9
foot wide. We got place about 20(
feet from the entrance, and only had
one row between US and the rail, 80 We
had fine view, but the squeeze on Vi
from behind was terrific.
The papal procession entered thu
church from the hallway and marched
up this passage to the altar. 1t con
sisted OF monks of various orders
priests, canons, bishops $500 Of these)
monseigneurs, archbishops. cardinals
Roman princes OF the Catholic church
ETC.. each one carrying long Lighted
candle and chanting occasionally
Then came the Swiss Guards, forming
square, and in it lot of blue blood'
and dignitaries, who carried plat
form on which sat the Pope, Leo XIII
in gold and purple chair. He wal
dressed like the others, but was GOLD
laced and decorated from top to toe
He passed within ten or twelve feet o
us, and we had an excellent view. Fl,
looks very weak and feeble, and seemet
to be all of his 81 years. He turne,
right ane left and was showering wha
they call the apostolic blessing, and i