The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-09-08
SCRANTON PASTOR
ON HIS TRAVELS
tConcludcd from Page al

and people. At the door of the vati-
can Palace we meet the Swiss guards
in their gay uniforms designed by
Michael Angelo. Now we ascend the
royal steps and pass through the cor
ridors to the apartments reserved for
the residence of the Pope. Formerly
the Church of Rome kept her sacred
writings, books, etc, secret, but Pope
Plus TX said everything should be
open to the world. Now hundreds Of
students from all lands visit the vati-
can and study the great works of the
world since the fourth century. We
also visited the Sistine chapel where
cardinals and bishops receive the
pallum. Here above the high altar Is
Angeles great painting of THE Last
Judgment" and many other works of
art. No pen can adequately describe
the wonderful treasures of art and
sculpture in this wonderful building.
Forty rooms are devoted to the
museum. Fourteen halls are devoted to
the Roman sculpture Acres of space
are covered with the celebrated paint
| ings of the masters.
THE PANTHEON.
Leaving the vatican we visit the
Pantheon where Raphael and Victor
| Emmanuel are buried and where the
| body of King Humbert soon will rest,
the sepulcher of Italy's kings. Now for
| a drive around the hills of Rome, and
visit to the beautiful church of "St.
Pauls without the Walls" and Santa
| Maria Maggiore where it is said a
piece of Bethlehem's manger is kept
| as a sacred relic. Here are statues
made from some of the first gold which
| Columbus brought from America to
| Ferdinand and Isabella. We drive to
the Kings Palace on the Quirinal, now
| shrouded in gloom, past the old tower
| from which Nero watched the burning
| of Rome and on to the old colosseum,
one of the grandest ruins of the world.
| No greater revelry was ever known
! since Babylon fell than was held
within this mighty structure. No
| sadder scenes were ever witnessed
| since the tragedy of Calvary than the
| prosecutions of the Christians here.
| We tread the spot hallowed by the
| blood of martyrs and roam these
| crumbllng walls with mingled rever-
ence and awe. Now We go to the Ro-
man Forum, and amidst the ruins Of
| palaces and temples live in scenes and
days lost in the passing centuries, but
| which makes both names and deeds
| immortal. Now we visit the Manner
| tine prison where it is said that Paul
! was kept prisoner, and where
chained to his Roman guards he
| preached to them the Christ. A de-
lightful ride takes us past the Pala-
tine hill, where Nero. Callgula, Domit-
ian and the Caesars lived, and now
we move along the Appian way over
| which Paul entered Rome. The old
| wall and towers still are standing
| through which this man of God passed
in to give the gospel to the world.
We pass the chapel of Quo Vadis,
where tradition says st. Peter, fleeing
| from a martyrs death, met his Lord
bearing the cross. who disappearing
left his footprints in the rock. Enter
| ing the Church of St. Sebastian we
find many sacred relics, including the
stone footprints of our Lord. The
monks place a burning taper in our
hands and lead us through the cata-
combs, where many Christians found
a shelter and tomb during the days
| of the prosecutions, and where tradi-
ton says the bodies of Peter and Paul
were temporarily buried. Now we
take a long drive along the Appian
| way, passing the mausoleums of many
illustrious dead. BY the new Appian
way we reach the Church Of st. John
Laterau, known as the Cathedral of
| Rome. The popes used to be crowned
in this church. A piece Of wood which
| formed a part of the table on which
| Christ ate the Last Supper with His
disciples is kept as a sacred relic.
Pope Leo XIII. has selected this
church as his burial place.
MULTIFARIOUS ATTRACTIONS.
But I weary you in hurried descrlp-
tions of temples and tombs, of palaces
and places in this wonderful city. Here
We could tarry many weeks and live
in scenes which have been familiar
since our early days at school. Step
across the piazza of st. John Laterau
and you see the smaller temple of the
Scala Santa or Church of the Holy
Steps. Here are the steps which led
to the palace of Pontius Plate In
Jerusalem, and up which Jesus passed
after his scourging. The stairs were
brought from Jerusalem by the mother
of Constantine the Great. We see
many devout Catholics ascending these
steps, marked with the blood of the
Savior, on their knees, repeating pray
ers, and from this humble penitential
service they receive nine years in
dulgence for each step. Martin Luther
went halfway up these steps upon his
knees, when there flashed upon his
soul the Scripture truth, Salvation is
by faith" and not by penance. He
then arose to kindle anew the fires OF
the Reformation and lead the way foI
the evangelization of the world.
IN PARIS.
Paris, France, Aug. 25.-I am not
sure that this will reach you before
our arrival in New York, but 1 send
it along, hoping some of the notes
may be of interest. A ride of 154
miles from Rome, about which wrote
you last grought us to our next stoI
as per itinerary. Naples. Here all is
so strange to an American. 1t is the
nosiest city l ever struck and one
of the dirtiest. We can't say toe
much of the beautiful bay, but the
beggars nearly drove us frantic. Be.
fore alightng from our carriage al
the hotel, two sisters Of charity thrust
their plump hands through the win.
dow, asking for money. Beggars fol.
lowed us on the street; ran after us
when we drove; did all sorts of things
to awaken sympathy and secure
money. Fakirs of all kinds abound
There are some beautiful parks, but
generally very narrow, dark streets
Marketing is done from multitudes oi
homes by letting baskets down with
a rope from windows above to vendors