New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1908-12-06
PIT PRAYERS
AGAINST STORMS
RING BELLS TO WARD
THEN OFF.
Inhabitants of the Tgrol Also Erect
Hail Crosse" IN Churches
and Fields.

Most people In this age content 70 take ~.
weather inevitsbility. ike death and tax,
but there are still remnants IN some countris. =,
the ancient belief that the sod ~ storms ma i.
induced to hand out special brands OF netsoroior,
cal phenomena The Russian peasants pray 4,
Elisha as Champion rainrlaker the Itaii,,,
make pilgTIn1a ges against drouth the Greeks ha~.
professions OF children to local springs. and a.
each halt drench IOWe--decked little girl v,,
water. The Established Church OF England ss1
uses formula OF prayer FOR showers requires
upon the psrched earth The natives OF TIE saz
kamrEersut region in the TyroI take TIE palm p,
invoking weather by traditional methods accord.
ing to Mrs. Herbert Vivian IN the WIDE Wo-i,
magazine. They are pious. healthy folk 7ho
doubt not that their rites and observances vel
worth while. Especially at harvest tine they ar,
fearful C: disastrous storms. and take steps 2,
ward them Of Mrs Vivian writes
AS soon low. rlmblinZ thunder e heard 3,
the far-oT hills, the house bells rat usuary
found In the roofs OF Tyrolese cottages begin n,
ring. This is known ringing IN the storm aas
is considered absolutely necessary Drecag.oa
As the weather grows you may hear y.
church bells all along the valleys peal as va
HailstorIns in August are NEST dreaded and p
the sky seems 70 indicate that they coming q.
priest is warned and goes TO stand az the door y
the church. bearing the host. 70 pro1OUncs u,
storm blessing. Some priests are considered no.
gifted than others in giving this blessing, and z.
supposed 70 be able 20 stave OF disaster By III,
peculiar powers. They become popular fzr s,i
wide with the peasantry, and are known as 'Stor-.
lighting gentlemen
Not only the priests but also the bells Of c.--
tain churches have great reputation for thss.
miraculous powers o. checking bad weather II,
witches belT in the wood at Pinzsau. and re
one at Muir in LungaU. are famous II this con-
nectiou while the two little bells OF s.. Jaeo5s
chapel In Kaprun Castle are supposed % bs vsry
potent both to avert hails,orns and % ttghrsa
away witches"
1t is said that the storm spirits fee very sa-s
about the coEsecrated bells which oalk Their e.
forts to travel through the countryside TIE great
bell OF Werpener Castle ''Vsas always rung at ths
approach Of storm till the Inhabitants Of Abezsu.
near BY inplored the castle folk 20 cease. snce n
consequence Of their ringing all the tspests sEsps
on 10 Abtenau." The witch bell Of Muir IS -
rnarkable for a chipping which II shows rs
result OF an attack by evil spiric armed WITH =
hell hammer
Among the sights which strike one most in pass
ing through the villages OF the salzkamInsrgut ara
the storm crucifxes and hail crosses 5o-nstn.s
YOU find them IN the church pOrches, sometimes n
the Kraveya-ds and sometimes right out IN tbs
fields They stand about fifteen feet high and ara
often painted reddish brown There Is almost
always a second and shorter plank nailed across
70 form two extra arms. The figure OF Christ is
usually carved out OF wood IN primitive fashion
and highly cOlored. All around fixed On ths -four
arms are the en0lsms OF the passion Thess ara
the chains. the ladder. the SWORD. LlS sL2Fes "a
lantern the cock. the dice, the seamless rocs tas
sponge the purse OF Judas and many mora W.
Iage artists and carvers frequently employ tasf
winter evenings in making every emblem that thsr
can think Of. and they call them 'Christ's wsapors
On the Sd OF May. the day OF the finding Of tas
true cross, they take them TO the parish priss-
who bIeSses them and fixes them to tns c-uci5z
The storm Crucifx at Inter Eching IS s5cEs
twenty feet high and at the foot there Is the usual
Pew, where Iilgrrns go to pray for fns weather az
harvest time. Nearby there IS convenient rosary
IN the shape OF small wooden balls strung OF a
wire in frame OF wood Many OF the pszSzn1
keep punches or consecrated catkins. which thsy
fling in the fire avert a storm ST. Johns TorE
IS likewise regarded as q valuable plant A bunch
of IT hung IN the window viii protect hoUss from
being struck by lightning.
Summer haiIstorms feared more than any,
thing else and in cases Of severe hail tns farmers
have hail mass performed in church. In s7as
places where storms much dreaded. hal PFC
cessions take placs every Sunday from WhitsuB-
tide TIL the Ell OF August When the big stones
come pelting down, black and red storm candles
are lighted. J told that in Belgium blessed EaE
is burnt in times OF tempest. Among the various
recipes for avoiding danger the following may %
mentioned. Never point YOUR finger at thunder
storm. Do not eat drink while it lasts but wrap
yourself IN silk and put candle under the table.
II you are caught by a storm out OF doors 50 a7d
lie down under elder tlee.