Durango semi-weekly herald., 1902-03-13

Of the multitudes that approached and
paused and passed inward like the
eternal procession that is always en-
tsring the portals Of the unknown
world
1t is curious TO watch the faces of
people a. they snter ths great doors
and push back the heavy leathsFn cur
tains that keep out he noiss and the
air. and and themselves In the pres
encs OF the most impressive spectacle
on earth. as Byron said:
Majesty,
Power, glory, strength and bsAuty-sI
are aislSd
In this eternal ark Of worship.
II 10 easy to detect those who have
never been thsre before, and those
who have become accustomed to its
magnitude and gorgeoasness. 1t re-
Quires several visits TO adjust the VI
sion and the mind TO its colossal pro
portions and brilliant decorations, and
enable them to realise the vastness
and the beauty Of the scene. The
more frequently you visit st. Peters
Cathedral, the greater and the more
beautiful 1t becomes, and after 4 time
you are enabled to drink in with
complete satisfaction the fulness Of
iis area. Its altitude and its mAgnifi-
cence, and win = familiar friendship
with the gaudy marbles, the gilded
ceilings, the mosaic-crowned arch
ways. the monstrous monuments, the
imposing stAtuary and, more than all.
tua La <.f
the wondrous stories that are attached
to each object and decoration in this
mighty rotunda, and the chapels
which surround 1t, for everything
within these solemn walls has mean
ing and a motive. and spiritual or
historical significance which can only
be understood by study.
st. Peters, AZ II stands. was built
upon the site OF the original basilica.
which lasted for 1.i50 years. but moth.
ing remains OF 1t now but isolated and
yenerated fragments. The present
structure WAS begun In 1850, and after
Intermittent periods OF construction.
extending over periods OF 176 years,
after ten architects and forty-three
popes had given 1t their best or their
worst efforts. 1t was consecrated In
1925. Raphael was in charge OF the
work from 1914 to 1920. and made
some alterations in the original plans. .
Michael Angelo. In 1916. was placed
in charge of the work, and Pope Paul
III. offered him so many thousand
ducats II he would complete ii
promptly. He replied that he would
take no payment, but would do 1t for
the love of God. the blessed Virgin.
and st Peter" He was IL years old.
was finished, and designed and partly
completed the dome before his death
In 1864. at the age OF SO.
The cost OF the building up to date
has been more than $4,000. 900. and
the annual expense of maintaining II
is about $4,000. An architect and q
gang Of workmen are always en-
ployed
The greatest sacrifice made in honor
OF Simon Peter. the fisherman. was
the destruction of the pagan temples
and the imperial palaces to obtain
material for the temple. The work
from the pontificate of Martin v. to
that OF Plus VII. we are told by the
best OF authority. caused more do
strucuon and did more injury to an
cient classic Rome than ten centuries
of so-called bsrbarism. or the huge
and almost Incredible mass OF marbles
of every nature. color. value and de-
scription, used in building St. Peters.
until the beginning of the nineteenth
century. not an inch. not an atom. ex-
eept In the case OF few columns
comes from modern Quarries; they
were all removed from classic build
ings. many of which were leveled to
the ground for the sake Of obtaining
one or two valuable pieces.
The statistics OF st. Peters are In
teresting. The facade fronting the
piazza Is 357 feet long and IA feet
high. surmounted by gigantic statues
eighteen feet tall OF the Savior and
the twelve apostles. There are Ave
entrances to the vestibule. which Ia
i6s feet long, Sc fest high and SO feet
wide. The doors are Of bronze. pan
eled with 4 curious mixture Of my
tOOlOklCA ana OQII0Al&u uobiknb III
bas-relief. the martyrdom Of St Peter
being badly mixed up with the adven-
ture OF Leda with the swan-a most
extraordinary and unAccOuntable com
bination-while the coronation Of Sig
ismun. Emperor Of Germany. Ii asso-
ciated with the legend OF Ganymede-
One OF the doors II walled up. 1t In
called the PortA Santa (holy Eate,)
and is opened every twenty-five years
on Christmas day of the jubilee.
The nave is 613h feet long; that
OF St Paul's In London Ia $50 feet.
that OF the Milan Cathedral Is 443
feet. aud that OF st. Soma At Constan-
unople is 800 feet. The height OF the
nave is 1862 feet. Its breadth 81 feet.
the diameter OF the dome liz l3S feet,
its interior height In 405 feet and ex-
terror t45 feet The cathedral covers
100000 square feet OF ground, and In
spite OF all the defects OF style and
taste in the architecture 1t is impossi-
BILE not to feel the impressive gran
dcur OF its proportions, and the mag