St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1900-10-31


seemed tame in comparison, but as
an object lesson of faith and an il
lustration of the interest which for
days can center around festivals
wholly religious, this week at Lour
des will always have an emphasis
which my memories Of Jerusalem
and Rome and Oberammergau will
not recall. The gay French capital
on the scene may seem dedicated
wholly to "the world, the flesh and
the devil" but Lourdes is a standing
protest to the religious indifference
so commonly attributed to the
French as a nation. If Saint Paul
could appear again on the planet, be
would find no doubt at Paris, as
broad field for missionary work as
when from Mars Hill he Numbered
agaidst Athenian idolatry, but here
at Lourdes he would find planted on
all sides, over the churches, at the
Grotto, on the summit of the hills,
the Gross" he proclaimed, and
everywhere the devout christian wor-
shippers. No traces here of the Gun
known gods" of the heather Greeks.
The greatest pilgrimage of the
year is the French National" in
August, numbering sometimes 40
900. Then the weather is too hot,
the crowds too great for comfort.
This week and last we have seen the
pilgrimages from Brittany 10000,
one from Belgium 1000, and an as
sortment of smaller ones, from viii
lagos on the Bay of Biscay and from
the valley of the Rhone and from
Spain and Italy. All these are so well
organized that there is no confusion
in coming or going, and the religious
exercises are conducted with clock
work precision. No military move,
ments more exact than you notice in
the execution of the Lourdes program
The Bretons came in fourteen
trains, and were 80 hours on their
Journey. A Cardinal, several Bish
ops, scores of curates and accolytes
with doctors accompanying the sick
with bands OF music, and the bril-
liant banners of different dioceses, al
these were the accessories of tn
pilgrimage from Brittany. The mul
titudes, however, who constituted
this great crowd were the most in
teresting and impressive feature
There were all classes, all ages, al
conditions. They came in the bes
their wardrobes could furnish, ant
every costume OF picturesque Brit
tany was on exhibition when thes
pilgrims took possession of tn
streets. What diversity of whit
caps on the women's heads, VIVA
quaint dresses, and brilliant aprons
and curious capes and shawls of di
ferent colors and patterns, som
} modern, some antique. What
variety too of coats and waistcoats
] and hats aud trousers, and collars
. and cravats and boots, thes
= bronzed Breton farmers and fisher
2 men were decorated with. Thei
/ long journey had not seemed t
, weary them, and they were as happ
| as children during recess hours a
| they passed out of the cars and form
e ed into a procession under their oil
e ferent banners singing "Ave Maria
:. and at once started for the Grott'
e and the Basilica to offer up "Te d
d um" for their safe journey. They +
s manned FIVE days at Lourdes, coun
e ing as two days those of their arr
d val and departure. They had ear
a mass and the holy communion in tt
- Basilica in the Cryptic, the Rosari
e and at the Grotto. There was ais
:. an afternoon and evening processio
IS the sick brought in the afternoon
IS receive the benediction. In the eve
p. ing all carried torches, and the bea
" tiful churches, over the Grotto al
,e below it were blaze OF light, the
# outlines traced in muti-colored ele
70 trio lights. 1t was Gothic archite
,e ture done by a more fairy hand, al
r. in warmer tints than the sun.lig
n can carve from gray granite. Tho
Re 10. 900 torch bearers winding abo
IS the park, and the graveled squa
before the church, along the broi
ne walk between the river and t
h grotto, across the terrace tront1
W the Basilica along the lnclines viii
ID in horseshoe form stretch their arl
Ill far into the open space below, t
Il