The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1909-09-04
GRAPHIC DESCRIPTION
OF A NOBLE ED|F|CE
An Ohio Priest in Rome is
the Writer of a Charming
Letter on the Glories of the
Eternal City and the Famed
Church of St. Peter's---The
Dimensions and Cost of the
Sacred Temple and the
Altar of the Popes.

Sacred Temple and the
Altar of the Popes.
The Rev. A. M. Leyden, in letter
from Italy to the Catholic Columbian,
says in part:
Rome! How that name thrills the
heart Of the student, the traveller, the
soldier, the Christian Aye, the heart
of the modern infidel, as it did the
heart of the ancient pagan, the north
ern barbarian, and the eastern Turk.
Rome ever mistress of the world!
Since her foundation by Romulus some
seven centuries before Christ, Wheth-
er governed by consuls, triumvirs,
kings, or emperors, her march through
the centuries has been onward and up
ward, fulfilling Gods designs and
prophecies. She was the kingdom des-
tined by Providence to prepare the
way for the coming of the Prince of
Peace and his civilizing as we'll as
saving Gospel. She demonstrated pa
ganism at the summit Of all its pos
sible perfection, in science, art, arms,
government religion. Her acknowi-
edged sway was almost co-extensive
with the then known world. The full
ness of time had come, and the Con-
aueror of death and hell took possess
sion. He sent a poor fisherman from
Galilee to establish His kingdom there,
land it rose, prospered, and triumphed
as no earthly power does, by the vol
untary defeat of its bravest soldiers
by three hundred years slaughter
Of the martyrs. Today the statue OF
lofty pillar over the ashes of the Cae-
sars, and the ruins Of their palaces.
The monument of his victory marks
the very spot of his defeat. Thou hast
conquered, o Galilean. The modern
Italian Caesar has stolen thy land and
practically imprisoned thy first fisher
hammedan and Protestant vie with the
Catholic in calling on him personally,
and paying him the most profound
respect. They scarcely notice the
Quirinal. The Vatican is the cynosure
and mecca Of the world. Rome il
still the mistress of the world, not
the Rome of Romulus, or Augustus O.
Humbert, but the Rome of the Popcs
The spot on which st. Peter died
for his Master was marked in 326 by
the Church of st. Peter, founded py
the first Christian emperor Constan-
tine at the request Of Pope Sylvester
I. beside the circus of Nero. There
in 800, Charlemagne was crowned by
Pope Leo III, likewise many emper:
ors and Popes in after years. In 1852
Pope Nicholas v began it's reconstruc.
tion. About the year 1900 Pope Julius
II resolved to erect an entirely new
church over the old one. Bramant<
:. Of Lombardy was the successful com.
petitor amongst all the invited dc.
signers. The foundation was laid III
1906. The plan Of the immortal dome
! is Michael Angeles (1547) The new
and glorious building, the wonder o.
:, the world and the envy of all archl.
tects and Of all builders Of churcne.
!, and religions, was finished by Bernini
and consecrated by Pope Urban VIII
=, November 1S, 1926, the 1300th ami
versary Of the conservation Of the frs
st. Peters by Pope Sylvester l. an:
100 years after poor misguided Luts
ers rebellion, by some people mis-
:, named the Reformation.
=. Its dimensions are practically these
Length, 700 feet; greatest width (tran
sept, $50 feet; width Of nave, 80 feet
height Of nave, $50 feet; height &
great dome, 4o5 feet: diameter y
dome, 435 feet; it's floor area, 1920
: square feet; its capacity, $4,000. It
Hoors pillars, statues and wall lining
: are marble. Its sarcophagi containing
the remains Of Popes, kings an
queens, are porphyry, alabaster, C.
simply white marble. Its enormol,
ceilings are decorated with richl
Is gilded stucco Of the most artistic de
1t signs, or with frescoes or mosaic
il, that are inimitable and priceless, It
h statues are numberless and each OF
the work Of a master, the walls be
l. hind every one Of the 20 affairs and i
= every niche on every broad pillar, ar
covered with masterpieces OF fresc