Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-12-25
THE HOLY D00R
o. St. Peters Closed by pis
Holiness the Pope.
Fully $4,000 Spectators Are Wit
ne,ses Of The Ceremony.
Tia Pore Di5p'a avs Remarkable vigor Through
on. The Ceremonies.

Rome, Dec. 24.-The Pope performed.
today, the ceremony Of the closing OF
the holy door Of St. Peters cathedral
with the utmost pomp Of the Catholic
church. His Holiness descended to st.
Peters cathedral 1t II a. M. and tie
ceremonies lasted until / L. NJ. The
Pope then returned to his apartments
apparently not fatigued. He intOncd
the 'Tc Deum" in a resonant voice
and throughout gave evidence Of being
in excellent health and spirits. He used
the artistic golden trowel. subscribed
for by the Catholics Of the world
in mortar. and the three glded bricks
WHICH he placed as n first layer on the
threshold Of st. Peters door. The
whole pontificial court participated In
the ceremonies.
The Pope. Dec. "a, 1899 solemnly in
augurated the holy year by performing
the impressive ceremony of opening
the holy door Of St Peters Cathedral
at II O'Clock in the morning. The ccrc-
mony was performed in the vcstibule
iE the presence Of the Papa oifccrE.
the members Of the diplomatic corps
leading representatives of Roman no
bility and q number of invited guests.
After DOMINIC the pontifical robes
the Pope, borne on the sedia gestato-
ria and escorted by the Papal Guards.
proceeded with the cardinals and the
court to the Sigtine chapel. in the Vat
lean palace where were gathered rep
resentativcs Of the Roman religious or
ders and clergy. After brief prayer
before the holy sacrament, which was
there exposed, His Holiness Intoned
the "veni creator" and then again as
cendcd the sedia gestatoria. Preceded
BY the clergy and friars, who bore
lighted candles, the Pope proceeded to
the vcstibule Or the basilica, priests
lining the wallis and staircase en- route.
The papal throne had been erected
in the vcstibule. The Supreme Pontin
assembled the throne. which Was i'm
mediately surrounded by cardinals and
other dignitaries. Suddenly q heavy
He'll doomed. the Pope arose and. pre-
ceded by the grand penitentiaFy. walk
cd towards the holy door. Cardinal
M~r. Vannutelli, project Of the congre-
cation of bishops and regulars mot
him and handed him Az artistic golden
mallet, given by the Italian bishops.
His Holiness wearing the Nitro, utter
"a the verses of the liturgy and struck
blows with the hammer on the door,
which had previously been cut with i
saw.
a few moments Of silence followed,
the PoIr ana the P8pal dignitarIcs III
their state robes being grouped about
the door. Then the latter swung back
and the officials Of ST. Peters laved
the threshold and door posts with holy
water, while the Pope opened the
psalm "Jubilate Deo." which was
taken VII by TIE pontincal choir.
The Pope. having again covered his
head ara holding 10 his right hand
cruciGx ANA in his left Il lighted can
die. knelt At the threshold amid the
strains Of "Te Dcum." Rising 10 his
feet he stepped along within the ror-
tails NJ the vast ANA empty basillca.
The cardinals ana others followed.
At this moment all the church bells
in Rome rang out. The Poutif stopped
before the altar Of Michael angelo,
whore the janitors ~ the holy door for
the coming year kissed his feet. He al
dressed 4 FEW words To them on the
importance Of the ceremony and then
rament was offered. followed by
short prayer. Then advancing To the
high altar. he pronounced 4 solemn
bencdiction, according ~ plenary IN
dUlgence
by 1.l5 J.. u. the Pope had returned
70 his private apartments. having per-
formed the ceremonies with great ap-
parent satisfaction. lie was smiling
throughout. but grew pale and showed
sign1 ~ fatigue toward the end New
ertheiess. he gave the three blows Oh
the door with considerable force.
Profound silence Was maintained
throughout the ceremony save when
the Pope gave his blessing. which
evoked loud "NiTaF." The weather Was
fine and an enormous cOncourse as-
selnbled in the precincts Of the basilca.
Order was preserved inside by the
pontihcal guards and OUTSIDE by the
royal carbineers and the police.
The spectacle inside the vast basiIica
Was superb. The pillars NJ the central
nave were draped with gold enbroider-
ed scarlet cloth. and the porch under
which the function took place WAS
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