Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-06
SAW HIS Otf FRIENDS
Reception eirspP ~ the Pope
to Venetians.
A SPECIAL OCCASION
Plus TIE TENTH.
In the Hall Of Inscriptions = Perfect
Order Preserved - Steps Taken to
Secure the Pope's Protection.
BY WILLIAM e. CURTIS.

BY WILLIAM e. CURTIS.
Special Correspondence q The Evening Star and
Chicago Record Herald.
ROME, December q, 1903.
1t was our good foftune'1to witness the
pope's reception of his former parishioners
who came down from Venice 2,o0e strong
to see for themselves how Don Giuseppe
as they affectionateiy can him. is getting
Oh as pope. The railways. gave them re-
duced rates. they brought band Of music
and choir of singers with them, and his
holiness made them a fathenly, ;neighboriy
speech from a platform, which had been
erected in the court of Damascus, called
| after the thirty-ninth pope. who reigned
from 800 to ss4 AID.
These pilgrimages are common. Every
Sunday and almost every Thursday the
pope gives public receptions to several
thousand persons. who come from the diff
ferent cities of Italy and the different par
ishes of Rome to receive his benediction.
We would call them exeursons, they call
them pilgrimages. They are organized ny
encouraged by the railway companies as
| we'll as by the officials OF the church, and
have the same influence that political or re-
hgious gatherings and demonstra tons have
| with us. The crowds are usually assembled
|. in the court of Damascus, which Is the most
convenient and the nearest to the street:
a red carpet is spread upon the balcony,
which is hung with scarlet .drapery; the
pope appears and Is .yeeeiycd' with great
enthusiasm; he takes a text from the Scrip
lures and breaches from 1t for about ten
minutes He is a ready speaker. and 1t Is
10 effort for him to deliver these addresses.
| But this was special occasion. The pill
grims were all his fellow townsmen and
| former parishioners and most Of them were
personal friends and acqnaintaneeS. Hence
| unusual arrangements were made Tor their
! reception. Tickets were issued through the
Office of Mgr. Bisleti, the master Of cere-
MONIES and several hundred strangers in
addition to the Venetian delegation were
| admitted to the audience. Through the
| courtesy Of Francisco Ghegau. one of the
secretaries to the secretary Of state. we
were given a favorable position and were
| enabled to witness one Of the most inn
pressye and Interesting Spectacles OF our
| lives. s-t~Is- -ss~t. i ~,
The Hall Of Inscriptions.
| Long before the hour appointed for the
pope to appear the pAggims were conducted
to the Museo Lapidasbos pr Hall OF 1nscrip-
tions, as it Is called II English. one Of tho
| great corridors of the. VATICAN. 2, 131 feet In
| length. 1t received Its name from the tab
| lets and tombstones, imbedded in its walls.
| Most of them were taken from the cata.
| combs and other a4fcieHt cemeteries of
| Rome, and date frona THE first to the fourth
| centuries. On ,one Yaal ,aEe those of Chris
tians, on the other thea egtta phss OF pagans.
| arranged with view e, chronological or
| gether; those OF parent Sfare' IN another
place. and thosen f ohildrenand slaves are
also classified. There, seem to be about
three th square s 81 ara ae ee
lection; there is nothing qike IT. Shyw here
else, and along the base aMi eiaher side are
| rows of fine old; sareoPhasl ia Ken from the
ed along on either side OF the Asppi,an way
for several miles. p N',''s' @'f'f '''V
Probably 3.oo0 persons were arranged in
two lines against the waN.s. Fhey were
mostly of the working class. although some
were fasllonably dressed. There were
many priests monks and students among
them. and several delegations from organ
izations of the local churches sof Venice
charitable and literary societies-which
brought their banners and other objects 10
be blessed. Many had gifts in their hands;
some had money in envelopes, others Httie
keepsakes books. pieces of embroidery.
caps, slippers and other renembrances Tor
their beloved pastor. One lady dressed IN
deep mourning scored triumph by bring-
Ing white beretta, which his holiness III a
most auliable manner accepted IN exchange
for the one he was wearing And she
carried the old one away with an air or
satisfa ction that woman ever feit De
fore. The pope's sisters came with the
crowd and stood with their former neigh
bors. They were dressed in plain black
gowns. with cheap lace scarfs or manthias
over their heads. and no one Would nave
taken them for anything but what they
are, honest, intelligent country women But
you can imagine how they must nave Ieit
whe,l they saw their brother Giuseppe In his
white robes surrounded by theeguards, re-
ceiying the alteration of the people. 4
There was perfect order. Swiss GUARDS
were stationed at Intervals along the Line
to keep the people III their places ana lney
scoIded a good deal at those VINO became
impa tent and were running back ana forlh-
1t was a long wait. and it seemed much
longer than it really was We could hear
the band outside in the courtyard playing
lively airs which were Scarcely ,appro-
pirate to a. clergyman's Sunday reception.
Several of the papal chamberlains Were on
duty Romans of high rank in full evening
dress with white ties and nosegays in theirl
buttonholes. One of them had big gold
chain around his neck which indicated su-
perior rank and responsibility. ana ne
seemed to realize his importance Finally.
there was a stir at the entrance, ana
prolonged H-hu- u-u- us-s:s s7s.h-h-n was
passed down the line third OF mile, Tor
that is the length of the corridor.
Pretty soon we could see group of 81 St
ening spears over the heads OF the crowd
which told us that his holiness was com ng
our way. He moved very slowly. Mgr.
Della Chisa, his major don1o; came nrst
with half dozen chamberlains and gentle
men-in-waiting, who cleared the way ana
pushed the crowd back into line. and " as
followed by three of the Swiss guards, clad
in the extraordinary fantastic uniform
which is said to have been designed by
Michael Angelo, and resembles the costume
worn by the jack of clubs in playing cards
They moved backward, with their long
spears in their hands, and looked very
fierce and formidable, Just as the guard OF
the Pope Of Rome should hook And there
was q striking contrast between their
medieval righteousness and ferocity and the
| sweet gentleness of the beautiful Old man
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