The Savannah morning news., 1900-07-11
HOLY RELICS.
ROME FULL OF REMINDERS OF
EARLY CHRISTIANITY.
Its Legends Are Many-Every Nc
mcntO Credited With Possessing

miraculous Pow ers-The saviour
Painter.
Rome Letter to the Chicago Tribune.
If the stranger with inclination for fig
ures were 10 form the plan of starting, one
early morning, on a tour of inspection
round the churches and other religious
places of Rome for the purpose of count
ing the relics that are preserved therein
and of chronicling the various virtues and
properties which are said to be possessed
by them and other equally interesting
particulars concerning their origin and
history he would find, if he placed his
| plan into execution, that, at the end OF
weeks inceseant work, he would have
his notebook pretty well filed, and that
the list of churches would not by any
means be exhausted.
10 calculate how many particles of the
bones of St. Peter are religiously pre-
served in many churches of Rome and
row many miles of cloth could be formed
if all the pieces of St. Josephs tunic We're
placed together. would be- to say the least
an arduous labor without reckoning the
-softening computation of the mani
fold virtues alleged to be possessed by
each relic or the compila tion of the mar
velous legends connected with it.
Faith in Relics Dying.
The faith in religious relics was more
prevalent among Romans many years ago
than it IS now. The development of edu-
cation, the introduction of rational and
positive science, and, also a certain guam
tity of incredulity which came as a sequel
10 the downfall of priestly domination.
have instilied in the larger portion of the
population of Rome some doubts, amount
ing almost to entire unbelief as to the
identity of and the miraculous properties
possessed by the relics exhibited in the
churches. Naturally there are some peo-
pie with whom this faith is still mistaken
and whose religious convictions will not
allow them for a moment to doubt the
tluth of the legends that are connected
with the relics; but, the whole, mod
ern Romans are becoming extremely skep-
teal with regard to prodigies, and it would
appear that the march of enlightenment
had swept away a good deal of that NOR
bid hankering for the supernatural which
vulgar natures, especially. retain in good
measure. to meke room for more whole
some and logical knowledge and aspira-
lions.
Mark Twain in his "Innocents Abroad"
has endowed with sufficient notoriety the
piece of stone existing in the little church
piece of Domino Quo Vadis." on the APP
plan Way, upon which, it is said the Sa-
vior had left an impression of his foot
prints on that memorable interview with
St. Peter. who was fleeing from Rome
because the plade had become too hot for
him. The value of the relic as historical
evidence will be vastly appreciated by
those who uphold the opinion that St Pc
ter never was in Rome.
The Sancta Sanctorum, a building sit
uated near the Basilica of st. John Lat
eren, contains a host of interesting relics,
among which is the Holy staircase, COM
posed of thirty-three steps, taken from
the house of Pontius Plate. This stair
case, which is said to be the same the
Savior assembled, was and is actually as
cended by the faithful on their knees The
original stone steps are covered with wood
en- ones, and now and then a cross marks
the spot where the Savior's blood stained
the stone underneath
Horrible Relic.
An uncommon relic is preserved in the
Church of San Loronzo-namely, the blood
and fat which dripped from the gridiron
upon which St Lawrence was roasted,
and at the Church of San Pietro, in Vim
coli. where stands, or. rather, sits, Mi
chael Angeles Moses" there are preserv-
ed the chains with which St Peter was
bound. 1t is stated that when found these
chains were broken in several places, but.
on the ends being placed close to each
other, they miraculously became united
once more as firmly as If the best spelter
had been applied. The same church has
also the honor of preserving the bodies Of
no less eminent personages than the Mac
ca bees.
Then there is the miraculous water.
which, at St. Peters command sprang
in the Mamertime Prison, or in the sub
terranean chambers of the church of
Santa Maria. in Via Lata, and the three
fountains, where St. Paul was beheaded.
and the fountain OF oil that sprang in a
most unaccountable manner on the site
where the ancient church of Santa Maria
in TraStevere, now stands. These mar
Vicious fountains are known to all visitors,
and are included in the lengthy catalogue
of the sights of Rome.
There are other relics whose astound-
ing properties aud miracles have made
them the subject of wonder and venera-
ton. At the Basilica Of ST. Paul, for in
stance there is a cruciix which. in the
fire that consumed the ancient church,
was miraculously preserved from the
flames, and which is alleged to have
spoken to ST. Brigd of Sweden
But all the visitors to this city are
doubtless acquainted with the famous baby
of the church of the AracoeH This cele-
OIdNeu image OF the infant savior Is made
of painted wood, and many legends are
connected with it. 1t is said that 1t was
once lost, or stolen. and that one night
some time afterward. a knock was heard
at the door OF the Aracoeli Convent and
ON opening the baby walked in and went
TO the place 1t had occupied, without aid
The baby is said 10 possess the most ex-
traordinary powers of curing sick per-
sons. When the resources of medical sci
ence are exhausted this image is taken TO
the bedside of a dying person, and II Is
believed that the figure changes color
when brought close TO the sick man. II
II shows a healthy pink tint the ultimate
cure of the patient is certain; II, on the
contrary 1t turns of pale hue, death is
inevitable.
In the church of IS. Cessna and Da-
miano In Forum, there is an image OF the
Virgin, which once spoke to St. Greg
DRY. and reprovsd him for not having sa-
luted 1t. This occurrence was aferward
narrated in Latin verse by the venerable
Bede.
Several other interesting and curious
relics are preserved in the various
churches of Rome, and the faith OF The
visitor is often put to severe test as
10 their identity. A certain stone shown
I'm the Church OF San Giacomo, near
Piazza Scossacavalll. Is said 10 be the
one upon which the Saviour was clrcum-
cire1. another stone. exhibited in the
{ hurch OF ST. Anna. Is said to be the
lentcal one upon which Abraham pre-