St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1898-03-09

VictOiIa Witnessed the ceIeHony sopiS
years ago.
A drive through the country alone is
worth the trip. Along roads bordered
by hedges OF roses, apple, plum and
peach trees all in bloom, past little
houses where hens, donkeys and bright
eyed babies all looked contentedly out OF
front doors, picturesque little bridges
overgrown with vines, and the Appenlnes
in the distance, trying to rival the blue
of the sky-can anything be more las
cinating than an Italian landscap. in
spring!
And the quaint little village OF Grassina
is in itself interesting, with its row OF
movable shops along the street. These
shops are in reality nothing but carts.
which, by day, are open, and heir con-
tents, consisting OF oranges, lace, coffte
and worsteds, offered Tor sale. BY night
they are closed and often serve as bed
for their owner. Our attention was
attracted by curious little waters, which
were manufactured in great quantities,
and are called "brigidlnI." Small pieces
of dough were placed upon what seemed
to be d pair OF tongs with large, shovel
shaped ends, on which were fancy pat
terms. The tungs were then capped
together and held in the fire Tor mo-
ment, and when opened, out fell little
thin wafer, decorated with pretty fig
ure. These cakes are favored with annls
seed and are a speciality OF Grasslna dur
ing Ltnt.
All the houses, not only in the village,
but in the surrounding country, were
brilliantly illuminated with chinese lam
terms, aud, as darkness tell, were very
pretty sight. In tact, the whole thing,
with the decorations and the men shout
ing about their wares, seemed more like
Fourth Of July celebration than a
burial.
lust at sunset the procession began to
wind up the hill towards the little church
to take up the bo'iy OF Christ and carry
it to the tomb. 1t was a strange, yet
picturesque throng, with the Roman SOL
dlers riding along in gorgeous velvet
nantes reaching to their horses tails,
the torches cleaning the priests chant
ing, and the dead Christ, misshapen
image, with the head nearly as long as
the limbs, and drops OF blood oozIng
from the hands and side. This was
borne under canopy by the mseracor-
dia, with their masked faces, behind
whom were tiny children, all dressed in
white and with wrcaths on their heads.
They were supposed 10 represent the
angels. Some of them carried small
crosses, Others nails and the vase filled
with the tears oil The Magdalene. Next
followed the young grls, with their
bright dark Italian faces set off against
their long white wells. They were 10 ue con-
hrmed at Easter and repi esrnted purity.
Then, dressed entirely in black, came all
the Dung matrons, or women who had
been married during the year, and the
virgin herself, borne on a litter and
dressed in a black gown trimmed with
gilt passamenlerie, and made in the
latest style OF today, while on her head
was bonnet and crepe veil, above which
was fastened halo made OF tin. A
watch and chain completed her costume.
Yet tawdry as this poor doll was, did
not see an Italian man who did not take
off his hat as it passed, and many q
peasant woman dropped on her knees.
carrying the torches, represented the
Jewish crowd. The procession moving
slowly along, the people mourniu ly sing
ing the MlseTere, the priests chanting,
the band with its nufflcd drum, playing
funeral dirge, made II strange. weird
impression. What there was winch was
gaudy and false in taste, was almost
sottened away by the evening shadows
and earnestn,ss OF the people, as they
carried out this strange survival OF
med eval custom.
On Saturday morning came the
"Scoppio del Caro-" ceremony which
is so deeply rooted in the hearts of the
Florentines that when the government
attempted to abolish it. Florence threat
ened revolution. The story goes that
in the year 1888. a CERTAIN Pazzl, a citi-
Zen OF Florence, undertook to enter Jeiu.
salem and obtain possession OF the tomb
OF the Saviour, because" says the
Italian legend, "he could not bear to see
it in the hands of these bad heather. u
Alone, he scaled the walls OF the holy
city and placed he Christian flag ON the
battlements, AMIDST shower vi arrows
As a reward Tor his valor, he was pre-.
sented with shield, upon which was the
emblem OF two dolphlns and three silver
crossts in blue field, in accordance with
an old Roman custom, winch bestowed
this honor upon the first solder to enter
q b, seiged city. The Pazzl family today
wear this coat OF arms. One legend says
that upon his return TO Florence he pre-
| ttI ~ IA n,
stone which he had taken from he holy
srpulchre. Ever since then. on the Sat
urday before Easter, the fire on ever,
altar In Florence has been produced by q
spark from these stones, and alter tn,
fame has been blessed by the archbishop
the lamp OF every Florentine family is hi
from this holy tire.
Another account says that Pazz
brought the fame itself in a little oil lam y
which was lit at the shrine at Jerusalem
and that he rode back warus on hi
horse all the way from the holy city t.
Florence i'll order to keep it from BEN.
cxtinguished. But whatever the rea
facts may be, the Florentincs of toda,
J Il 'ck to the great cathedral, on the Sat
urday before Easter, to witness the SAINT,
J Spirlto, or Holy Ghost, carry the fir
which has been lit from the sacred films
to the car, which resembles an enO mo u
old hearse decked with colored paper
/. bearing wreaths OF crackers aud oth>
} fireworks. A wire is suspended from til
car, which is in the Piazza del Duorn,
through the great door OF the cathedral
: to the altar, and when the archbsho
, pronounres the words. GLORIA il excelsl
t Del" dove, supposed to be the Hol
} Ghost, darts from the altar, along III
e wire TO the car outsi lie and ignlt,s I'll
h fireworks. 1t is forced along the wire b