The semi-weekly messenger., 1906-05-22
MARRIAGE OF ALPHONSO.

The marriage of the King OF SPAIN
ard he Princess Ena Of Battenoais
will take place in the Church OF ASocna'
where is enshrined little image G
the mother of God, rudely carved III
wood and black with age, called Nie@-
ira Sonora de Atocha." and 1t Is be-
lieved 10 have been carved BY ST. Luke
This image Is believed 10 exercise IN
limited power over the destiny OF tue
royal family of Spain, and whenever
thev are in Madrid, the king. the queen
mother, her daughters and other mem-
bers OF the household never fail 10 90
there at O'Clock every Saturday al
ternoon TO offer prayers Of thanhssls-
ing for protection and blessings al
ready received and 10 implore future
protection and blessings. AccordlnS 10
tradition this image was brought from
; Antioch to Spain in the early days OF
; the church, and from that fact lts
. name is supposed derived. Arcnaeoio-
gists, however, assert that Altoona Is
! the name of a peculiar kind OF GTass
! that used 70 grow abundantly IN Madrlo
! and that image was undoubtedly call
| the Virgin of the Grass" by the peas
! ants in early times without regard TO
| Antioch.
/ The fete day of the Virgin OF Atacno
! is celebrated with great pomp IN May
| every year, and il is carried ABOUT
the streets followed by procession
of officials, clergy and the civilian or
CARNATIONS in Madrid. The ministers
IF state and other representatives
of the government, the mayor ana
municipal authorities of Madrid, the
members of the cortes and all the Ia
nous generals and admirals who nap
pen to be in the city, the members OF
| the stock exchange, the bar ASSOCIATION
and numerous religious organizations
follow in the train, and high mass Is
! sung at the church by the archbishop
| of Toledo or some other distinguished
! prelate The government offices are
closed, all business is suspended ana
the entire city joins with the royal fam
lily in the act Of one devotion.
THE ROYAL CHURCH.
Ever since Madrid has been the cap
| ital Of Spain the kings and queens cave
| been christened, married, crowned and
bured from this church, and for nearly
four centuries it has been the custom
| of the queens to present their wedding
gowns to the Virgin of Atocha. The
| collection of these garments its, there
fore. not only unique, but it is probably
the largest of the kind in the world.
Some of these gowns are nearly four
hundreds years old. They include the
bridal array Of the wives of Philip III
and Charles V, and, indeed Of all the
women who have occupied the throne
of Spain since Crazy Jane daughter OF
Ferdinand and Isabella. This wardrobe,
however. is never shown to strangers.
It is packed away somewhere in mass
i've oth-proof chests, bound With
bands of brass, but is never taken out
except to be aired two or three times
a year A distinguished American
lady once attempted to see it She had
influence enOught to secure note from
Queen Christina to the priest in charge
of Atocha parish, but he told her that
her request could not be granted with
out authority from the archbishop. She
went again and again without securing
satisfaction. The archbishop never
came.
The original church built by Charles
V in 1922 on the site of the ancient
shrine of the image, was torn down in
1895 by order of Queen Christina and
a new church was ordered erected IN
it's place. The architect planned a
Romanesque structure of alternate
courses of white and black marble like
, the cathedral of Florence, with clois-
ter and court which can be used for
the burial of eminent men. Carnovas,
the great conservative leader; Sagasta
| -, 10r m
who was president of the republic of
Spain, are now buried there. Prim's
tomb is famous, unlike anything you
have ever seen. 1t is a Gothic struct-
ure eight feet long, three feet wide
and ten feet high, of delicate steel H.
igree work, made in Toledo. 1t is
one of the most exquisite pieces OF
iron work in the world and absolutely
unique.
The new church is unfinished. Queen
? | Christina has had to pay almost every
dollar of the expense herself. The move
ment was very unpopular. The people
were attached to the old church, which
James Russell Lowell described in class
ic humOr and they condemned Christina
for tearing it down. Only few Off.
cials and mobiles attached to the couT
contributed anything toward the re
l building, but the qqueen mother intend:
to carry out her plan and finish it a
her own private expense if the public
| | and the government still decline t.
/ | assist her In the meantime the queer
little image sits serenely upon an altar
between the unfinished walls, covered
with costly jewels and wearing the in
[ sigma Of all the military and civil or
. ders of Spain, including the collar o.
q the golden fleece the most highly prizet
Of all decorations which is granted on
q ly to the members of royal houses.
WHERE CHRISTIANA WAS MAR
RIED.
The marriage could not take plac,
anywhere else Alfonso XII was twic,
: married before this altar-on Januar1
: %, 1878, to Mercedes, daughter of th'