Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-29
Holy Uaeek in Rome.
Some "reminiscences Of Interesting Happenings in Itay Capital
During These Days of Special Religious Observances.

lea 1t is, I think. only on this day in the
year that the FIVE special treasures OF ST.
Peters sanetum sanctorum are exhibited;
and although ii is impossible for the spec
tator to distinguish St veronica's handker-
chief from the head OF St. Andrew. the
scene itself-the dim church. the vast dome
looming overhead, the. figure OF the priest
standing out high above the people, with
the light of tapers bringing CLEANS from
the gold of his vestments and flashing back
from the gems In the reliquaries these
are raised and lowered-the scene. decided
ly, is of those which, appealing at once to
the senses and to the imagination. linger
richly in the memory.
The exhibition of the relics closes the
Holy Thursday ceremonies at st Peters
and few moments afterward. as YOU stand
on the steps leading down from the portico
the whole, piazza below appears to be COW
cred with an eddying black wave OF hui
manity. To find Your carriage In the tangle
is no simple matter. especially IT, as In our
case, YOU have come in a hired vehicle and
then forgotten the mystic number which
shriled forth by some sturdy street urchin
might summon your 'vetturino'' (coachmanl
out of the Vastly night. Our only clue lay
in the color OF our horse which was a
unique and unhealthy yellow; but whether
we should ever have been able unaided to
pick him out of the involved throng OF
yarlously tinted quadrupeds. is more than
L dare assert. Fortunately our driver wa
a shrewd old fellow and conceived the
brilliant idea of searching for us: still more
fortunately our two paths of research han
pehed 10 cross, and after a few uneasy
moments of ducking under the heads of
horses and lodging carriage wheels we
We're whipping cut of the press The rain
mad ceased and a great round silver moon
over the Ponte SantAngelo on our home
ward way.
On Good Friday. darkness reisns in all
the churches and there Is no music save
but Saturday brings premonitory symptoms
OF the morrow's joyous festival. On the
Spanish steps-haunt of flower vendors and
models-lilies and other white blossoms are
banked In dazzling masses; and all dav tho
parish priests pass busily through the
streets on their way to bless the houses
we knew nothing of this custom, and in
consequence were sufficiently nystihed
when. late Saturday afternoon our favor
lite facchino (porter). Angelo, appeared at
the door or our sitting room with the an
nouncement, "C'e Il prete sigrorina" fsthe
priest is here }. few questions brought
an explanation which Angelo vas evidently
somewhat scandalized to find necessary
we learned that IL is the duty of the priest
TO VISIT every house in his parish on Easter
even In order TO purify it fo- the next day
and that IN the hotels the manager gener-
ally has the public parlors blessed and
then sends the priest through the building
10 the rooms of all those who are nor
aVerse to the performance of similar cere-
mony. We promptly instructed Angelo to
admit the padre, who was accordingly ush-
cred ma gentle-faced old man in a shabby
black gown followed by q youthful at
tendant bearing holy water. The paroco
sprinkled few drops toward the four cor
ners of the salon and recited a Latin bene-
diction; then with quick "buon giorno'
C'good day'). went on his way, leaving us
to entertain a quite new respect for our
room as a spot whence the sprites of malice
ana all unchartableness had been at least
q qF II I g1rie- ltgI
AS for Easter day itself. who shall VEN
ture to describe that? 1t is not the gorgeous
ness Of the church ceremonial that is 50
impressive; it is the attitude Of the people
as a whole The maid, when she brings
you your hot water In morning, greets YOU
with buona Pasqua' GA good Eastern:
buona Pasqua," smiles the elevator hoy
as he takes you down: ''buona Pasouap Oh
Sequiously murmurs the waiter, putting a
couple Of colored eggs before you at break
Iast- buona Pasqua. buona Pasqua is the
refrain on every tongue throughout the day
And there IS nothing formal or perfuuctory
ABOUT the salutat!on-it is quite spontaneous
and from the heart You have only To go .
OUT IN the streets and watch the crowds
that I'LL them-the fathers carrying babies
the mothers with half dozen little ones
cnnglng to their skirts. the grandmothers
and Observation-Disclosures. to realize that, in
~. u NtiO iiiuSic anu pOEHp the Sumptu-
ously arrayed cardinals moving in clouds
or incense. the red cloth decorations and
fat wax candles painted with pictures of
lambs ana otner appropriate symbols,
morning mass at St Peters Is but a part
or the days charm. 1t Is the spirit of ioy
that seems to permeate every nook and
Granny and to touch every face-no matter
how worn or aged or sad-with some re-
hectlon OF the glory that is In the golden
sunlight and the wide blue sky which
brings to the traveller the feeling that
Easter in Rome is indeed good" in a
quite special degree