The Portland daily press., 1900-06-23
NEW SAINTS CANONIZED.
Brilliant Scene In Rome At Ceremonies
where Pope Leo Oasciases.

The much talked-of canonization of the
two new saints, Jean Baptiste de In Sale
and Rita di Casoia, took place yesterday
morning in the Basilica Of St. Peters In
the presence of one OF those immense
crowds which have attended every relig
ious ceremony Of any special interest held
there this year.
From the earliest hours Of the morning
the great.plazs in front of the church was
packed with the thousands awaiting their
turn of admission into the sacred build
and mounted police, under the command
of General Brusati, had almost more than
they could do to maintain order and
regulate the frantic rush made at times by
the crowd to gain admittance to the tenn
Pile. The sight, both without and with
In, was striking one. The myriad
tapers, the gorgeous hangings. and the
rich decorations OF the church made q
brilliant picture. Pilgrims from every
part of the world, almost all In their own
peculiar national costumes, mingled with
Italians in bright dresses. 1t Is to be
doub IL single nation OF the earth
was left unrepressnted IN the strangely
mixed swarm of human beings which
filled st. Peters yesterday.
Within the portals of the church some
sort of order was kept by the Palatine
guard and the Papal gendarmerie, whose
resplendent uniforms lent still another note
to the vivid mass of color. The tribunes
In the apse were crowded by the papal
di plomatic corps In grand festival uni
form, an d by the Roman nobility.
Besides the innumerable candles, tapers,
and oil lamps with which the great
church was lighted, there was novelty
in illumination yesterday. Six hundred
electric lights were used for the first time
In st. Peters. lending much to the
brightness 5, but taking as much away
from the mellowness OF the whole.
Shortly after u. IN. the Sistine choir
comm enced chant, and the head Of the
great procession appeared at the main
portal of the church, on Its way from the
Sistine chapel. The splendid and impos-
ing cortege, bearing, among other things.
the banners of the new saints, took an
hour and half TO pass the doors, Among
the participants was the Duke de Ia Sale,
a lineal descendant of one Of the newly
canonized beatt.
AT 9. 30 the fanfare OF the famous silver
trumpets announced the arrival OF the
Pope. Owing to the new law prohibiting
all outward manifestations Of applause.
Pope Leo was not received by the usual
outburst Of shouts and hurrahs, but the
suppre ssed tremor which ran through
the audience was far more eloquent
sign of homage.
In appearances his holiness seemed I'M
changed, except for more than wonted
vivacity in his glance, as he passed
through the crowd blessing 1t on his way
to his throne. The impressive ceremony
of the canoniZation, and the long poltifi-
cal mass which followed, were celebra ted
by him without ev. dent fatigue. At a
few minutes past one he impaired the last
benediction to the thousands congregated
within the building previous to leaving
the church.
The Sistine choir was under the direc-
ton of the Able Mustapha who, despite
his great age, kept his singers well in
order. Palestrina's beautiful and ex-
tremely difficult mass for eight voices.
"Hodie Christus natus est, +" was finely
executed, as was a "Benedictus" and a
motette of his own composition. The
last-namei work was peculiarly effective,
with It's respOn So, sung by choir OF 100
soprano voices stationed In the great
cupola. During the "Credo," the Pope
was presented with the usual mystic gifts
on the part of the participants Of the
newly elected saints-tive wax tapers, two
OF them weighing twenty-five poun is
each; two loaves. one OF gold and one Of
silver; two small barrels of wine and
water, three cages with turtle doves and
other birds.
OF the two saints, one was of French
nationality, and the other, the Beata
Rita, an Umbrian.-Rome- Correspond
ence New York Times.