The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-04-05
CBy Henry E. Litchford. }

|
Five days before the Passion the Sa-
vious made His entry of triumph into the
| City of Jerusalem, with thousands of
his faithful followers strewing branches
from the trees before Him. Palms are
used as tokens of the branches spread
in the way" and in enumeration of this
event Palm Sunday has been observed in
very much the same way since the early
centuries
Impressive services are held in all Ro-
man Catholic, Episcopal, and other
churches. The part OF the service on
! this day most impressive is the blessing
of the Palms, and distributing them
| thereafter to the worshfppers. At ST.
| Peters, Rome the blessing of the Palms
is done by the Pope. 1t is interesting to
know the Palms blessed at st. Peters
We're first provided by sailor. and none
others have ever been permitted to be
used except those furnished by this sail
or and his descendants. The circum-
stances of this fact are these: Stand
| ing upon the site of old st. Peters was
| the Egyptian obelisk which now occupies
| a position in the center fthe Vatican
| Circus. This obelisk weighs thousands
of tons and is near a hundred and fifty
| feet in height. The removal of this mon
strous monolith whiting doing it damage
was a vast undertaking. Hundreds of
men were employed for the purpose. So
| important was the undertaking the Pope
made an order that no employee should
speak during the time, under penalty of
severe punishment. Twisted about the
obelisk were large ropes At one time
during the work to accomplish a certain
object it was necessary to have the
ropes yield Seeing the Importance of
this, and having been a seaman, a sailor
spoke out and shouted to pour water on
the ropes. This was done, and, on ac
count of it, it is sad the obelsk was
prevented injury. Having disobeyed an
order of the Pope. the sailor was much
terrified at being commanded to appear
before His Holiness. Upon inquiry into
the circumstances the Pope commended
the sailor for speaking a word in season,
and rewarded him by granting his re-
quest to be allowed the privilege of
bringing to st. Peters on Palm Sunday
the Palms to be blessed for distribution.
AS before stated, so long as he lived the
sailor was accorded this distinction, and
up to the present day his descendants
enjoy the same right which they esteem
a blessed privilege, and honor,
Having referred to st. Peters 1 Will
endeavor to give some description of it,
which, j regret, must be inadequate to
give any proper idea of its grandeur and
immensely 1t is a cathedral unequalled
in the world. While it is true the pres
ent st. Peters was erected before our
own country appeared on the may, or
even before the birth of Christopher
Columbus, it is called in Rome a modern
structure. 1t is built upon the site of
the religious edifice erected in the time
of Constantine, and consecrated as the
''Basilica of st. Peter" This old baslica
stood on part of the Circus of Nero,
and occupies the spot consecrated by the
blood of the martyrs slaughtered by Or
der of that tyrant.
After enjoying the veneration and tri-
butes of all christendom for more than a
thousand years, the walls began to give
way, and its approaching ruin was seen
to be inevitable.
1t was Pope Nicholas V. who conceiv-
ed the project of tearing away the old
church and erecting in its stead a new
and more expensive one.
The undertaking was begun, and. re-
suited, after long and serious expert
ments, in the splendid structure which is
regarded by all as the chief glory OF
modern Rome.
The completion Of this building requir-
ed more than hundred years and serv-
ed to occupy the attention and absorb
much of the incomes of eighteen of the
pontiffs. The services of the most cele-
brated artists of the times were called
into requisition. 1t is estimated that
its cost was not less than sixty millions
of dollars, a sum Representing far
greater value then than it does in the
present day.
Colossal statutes of Peter and Paul
guard the approach at the foot of the
steps on either side.
In front of the church, sweeping off
to the right and lefo of it in a semicircle,
is vast arcade supported by four rows
of lofty pillars, which are near a hun
dred feet in height. In the center of this
area formed by this immense cOllonade
is the Egyptian obelisk above referred
to; two beautiful fountains, the basins
of which are porphyry, are on either
side and are perpetually at play.
Raised on three successive flights of
marble steps, extending, l should say
about four hundred feet in length, and
towering to a height of about a hundred
and fifty feet, you see the majestic front
of the church. This front is supported
by a single row of Corinthian pillars and
pilasters, and adorned with an attic,
balustrade, and thirteen colossal statues.
Far behind and above it rises the match
less dome. two smaller cupolas, one on
each side add to the majesty of the
principal dome. Opening into the Vesu-
bule are five lofty portals. 1t is paved
with variegated marble, adorned with phi
lars, mosaic, and bas-reliefs, and ter
minated at both ends by equestrian
statues, one of Constantine, the other of
Charlemangne. over the entrance on
the outside is relief representing