The Irish standard., 1898-11-26
BENEATH the CHURCH OF ST. PETER.
STRANGE THINGS WITNESSED IN THE
BASEMENT CHAPEL.
VISITED BY Mul1l1uDEs OF PEOPLE.
HE Is LIKELY 10 BE PROCLAIMED
AMERICAS ONLY SAINT.

In the half light of the little basement
chapel beneath the old church of st. Pc
ter in Philadelphia, rests tomb upon
which the eyes Of, the entire Catholic
world are now turned with intense in
terest. Hundreds Of worshippers kneel
around it daily. Strangers come from
other cities to pray beside it. It is a
tomb where countless miracles are said
to be wrought-the tomb of the vener-
able Bishop Neumann. who may soon be
proclaimed this country's only saint.
There is no other scene in America like
that presented by the pilgrimage of Cath
olics to this tomb. They arrive at day
break, when the doors of the chapel are
first opened; and at night, when soft
lights glow arounl the tomb. they may
still be seen thronging thither They
are of all ages and conditions of life
the MANNED, hobbling along on crutches,
or with their arms in slings; the blind.
led by their friends; men and women
crippled with age or rheumatism; suf-
ferers unable to walk, who are slowly
carried along; victims of every variety
of accident; the deformed, and many
others, men, women and children, who
| suffer from no visible affection, but
whose troubles may not, therefore, be
the less. Down the narrow, rallied stair
case and through the aisles they go, and
press toward the gates of the sanctuary,
which are always open.
Within the sanctuary, before the high
| altar, is crowd Of pilgrims kneeling in
circle on TIE hqor.. In the dim light
and solemn silence of the little chapel
they pray with bowed heads. oblivious of
all else except their devotion. 1t is a
picture of childlke simplicity quite
strange in this work-a-day time and
country. 81"
| A cripple rifles Up from the group, as
sisted to his feet 10y his friends. The
thump of his clutches breaks through
the stiffness as he moves painfully away
An old woman, hardly able to mount
the sanctuary .stepn takes his place. On
her right is a cluster of school children.
their books and satchels on the ground
beside them. praying with clasped hands.
Next kneels we'll dressed woman of the
world, Offering her petitions with as
much unconscious humility as the old
German shopkeeper and his wife at the
further end who devoutly say their rosary
side by side. Then there is the poor I'M
fortunate suffering from st. Vitus dance,
hi AVE- ri,
girls. There is the business man. too,
and the boy just starting out in life.
In the ceuter of the group is the tomb
which has drawn some of the pilgrims
many miles to pray beside it. There is a
large, plain slab of marble lying even
with the floor, so that it cannot be seen
above the heads of the worshippers. On
the slab arr engraved the episcopal arms
of Philadelphia and simple inscription,
beginning His facet Johannes Nepomu-
Genus Neunann."
The engravings and the large brass
rings in the four corners of the stone are
by no means the most interesting things
upon the tomb. Flowers have been
dropped upon it in thanksgiving for
petitions answered or to serve them
selves as prayers. There are spectacles
also, left in Acknowledgement of cures
from blindness. Children have placed
sealed envelopes on the marble, address
ed in round scrawling hands to '"The
Venerable Bishop Neumann, Tomb, Be-
meath St. Peters Church" We may
guess unheard of things, and yet never
so much as imagine the contents of these
Nttle notes.
Many persons have laid their rosaries
on the stone. Others have brought cop
per medals, stamped with the image of
the bishop. These they place upon the
tomb while they pray, and afterward
wear them upon their persons, to gain
his special protection.
The crowd about the tomb is constant
ly changing Before rising each person
prostrates himself upon the stone and
reverently kisses it, The cross in the
episcopal arms lis already quite worn
away by this Devotion. AS one pilgrim
leaves another comes from outside the
rail to fill the vacant place. Each one
has system of devotion peculiar to him,
self. which he performs with entire for
getfulness of those around.
Nothing any one may do causes sur
prise. A young mother enters carrying
her baby. She places one hand on the
stone and strokes the child's face. which
is disfgured. Befom going she places
the little one on stheIitomb for a moment
and prays for it.y Many while they pray
put both hands on the tomb. Others
touch the stone three times and as often
place their hands over their eyes or ears.
or rub their broken or paralyzed limbs
with them. Some PROSTATE themselves
every few minutes to kiss the stone
Others make point of kneeling on the
marble with bare knees, in order to gain
their results.
But are cures really affected? To Judge
by the constantly increasing crowd Of
pilgrims many must be helped The old
woman who keeps store opposite the
church says persons often rush in. much
excited. to give her an account of the
miraculous ending of their troubles.