The sun., 1908-04-26

the advent Of Christianity. A holy man,
St. Emigdius, Is said TO hav Q destroyed the
temple Of the Greek god as we'll as the
shrines Of Jupiter Lycaonius, Of Faunus
and Of Semo-Sanous. In late imperia ]
times the island was used as a prison, and
Arvandus, Prefect Of Gaul, was lmmured
here in Bs A. D.
Churches and converts were built on the
island. 0tho III, founded the Basilioa Of
Saint Adalbert on tho site Of a still earlier
church, and Golasius II. rechristened this
church in 1918 and gave it the name OF
st. Bartolommeo, which it still bears.
| The body Of the saint was brought from
Bsneventum and placed here.
Opposite this church is the Hospital Of
st. John Of God, also called Beneiratelli,
under tho care OF a confidently Of brethren
who nurse the sick and continue traditions
Of the priests OF Esculapius. The island
is thus still dedicated TO the spirit Of healing.
In 1855 the whole island was converted
into a hospital for those stricken with the
plague. A small garden, probably all
that remains Of tho sacred grove Of pagan
| times, is now used as a morgue
Fragments Of the ancient temples are
still to be seen, although the island has
! been realty modernizod and altered Six
years ago when the new embankment Of
the river was being built the fdWsSG or pits
| OF the main temple we're found filled with
discarded eX-votos: arms, hands, feet
breasts. modelled In terra Gotta.
There are still the two bridges that con-
nected the island with the banks Of the
Tiber. One the ancient Pons Fabrlcius
built Of stone in the place Of the old wooden
one in 90 B. c. by L. Fabrioius has two
arches and small food arch In the central
pier II is now called Ponte Quattro Capi
Bridge Of the Four Heads). from two herm@
OF Janus which still adorn It's parapet,
and 1t is still intact, having withstood the
vioissitudes Of nearly 1000 years.
The other, now called Ponte st. Bar
tolommeo originally built by Lucius Cestius
In B. c. 70, and restored by the Emperors
Valentinian. Valens and Gratian, was
pulled down by the municipal authorities
In 1888 and rebuilt with the exception Of
the central arch, which is still the ancient
one.
In the centre Of the piazza, iu front Of the
Church OF San Bartolommeo, where once
stood the obelisk that formed the mast
OF the island ship. there is now pillar with
four inches adorned with the statues Of
81. Bartholomew, St. Paulinus Of Nola, st.
Francis and St. John of God, four humble
men who spent their lives in works Of
charity, ministering to the sick. They have
taken the place OF the Greek god Escu-
lapius Just as the Franciscan monks and
the followers Of st. John Of God have taken
the place and are still doing the work Of
the pagan priests.
The Italian Government has seized the
monasteries, which are now divided into
tenement houses, but a narrow strip OF
land has been left to the monks, and here
they have q small hospital Of seventy beds,
where they devote themselves entirely to
the care OF the sick poor, some twelve
hundred of whom pass through the hos
pital every year, besides the many cases
relieved in the reception rooms.
Such Is the Island Of the Tiber to-day.
Sick slaves are no longer exposed and left
10 die here, but every lady living in Rome
will send her servant girl to the hospital In
case Of need