The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1903-08-15
ST. PETERS,,

L
the development of the world the mind
and hand of man has wrought works
which time and progress have been I'M
able to improve upon. Such Il work is
the Cathedral of St Peter at Rome,
where on last Sunday, Plus \ was
crowned. The historian, tiibbon, char
acterized st. Peters as the greatest
of all Churches 1t is still and likely
to remain for Il long time to come the
greatest of all churches. Greatest in
historical associations and greatest in
the magnitude and splcndor of it's
construction. 1t may seem strange at
first thought that st. Peters has re-
manned for 800 years unrivalled. But
when we consider that it is master
piece of Il master mind. we realize why
it has maintained it's supremacy. AS
the master genius cannot be surpassed,
no matter ut what time lie may have
existed in the History OF the world,
so it is that works OF art like works Of
nature are scattered throughout the
world without amy relation to time ana
place. st. Peters was designed by
Michael Angelo about the middle of
the sixteenth century. He completed
the drum of the great dome Just be-
fore he died in 1lt;3. Nothing is more
true than the fact that no mouth or
pen is able to convey correct impress
SiOnS to the human mind of the great
works of nature and art. Most every
one has experienced the situation of
having read or heard of some place of
great natural interest. and afterwards
having seen what he read or heard of.
How different the impressions gained!
While we cannot without actual per-
sonal inspection conceive of the grand
eur. and Splcndor of st. Peters, we can
gain an impression of its magnitude
by comparisons. The press announced
that 10000 people were in the haSlllca
of st. Peters OH last Sunday. When
we think of the large Auditoriunls
which we have seen. the vaStness OF
st. Peters becomes apparent. To
finish the whole building required olH
hundred and Sevcnty-tive years. The
first stone WAS laid in 1l:M and the
church was dedicated by Pope Urban
VIII ON November 18th. Ices. The
cathedral is Gl3l. feet long: the height
l
of the nave. 1871. feet: the height OF
the dome. from pavement to top OF the
cross. AS feet: the circumference of
the pillars supporting the dome, 2''i
feet. The high altar. before which
Plus y was crowned. stands Just be-
meath the center of this great dome
Above this altar is Il magnificent
bronze canopy. one hundred feet high
In front of the altar is Il curved balus,
trade OF marble. OH which Il large num-
Der of golden lamps burn necessarily
Within the balustrade is the crypt
which contains the tomb of ST. Peter
Around the side aisrs of the cathedral
are splendid tomhs erected to the
memory of the different popeS buried
there of which there are one hundred
and thirty-three. On the wallis are
mosaic copies of famous paintings
which appear as if painted on canvass.
but which are in fact worked out III
different colorcd stones. These are OF
enormous value. some Of them having
required twenty-five years to complete
There are about one hundred of them
and represent the masterpieces of Ra
phael and many others. \ noted trav
eler thus describes his feeling whcl
first he beheld the great dome from
within: Never shall l forget the
moment when turning my gaze heaven
ward, l gained view Of the interior
Of the stupendous dome. all radiant
with golden nlos;ics. To look up into
this from below affected me as it does
to gaze into profound abyss: anG
when. having climbed Il winding stair
case. l stepped out upon Il balloon!
within the dome. clutched the rail;n: