The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1909-06-06
sKErCHEs raoM raAsrEvERE.
the sasrestano u Santa Maria and 4
stranSe story Of the Crescent.

ROME, May ae.-There is no dssrer church
In Rome than Santa Maria In TIastevere.
It is old and worn: but its pavement 10 still
glorious, its unequal columns grand and
impressive. it's mosaics simple and de-
lishtful In feeling. 1 love the Madonna
laying her hand DO gently on the shoulder
OF Our Lord her son. I love the sheep
grazing below her on the borders OF the
stream. love every one OF them.
That the church is not dirty and shabby
10 to the credit OF my friend the sasrestano.
| often 90 there whom 1 have finished my
work. which happens 10 be just when be
has finished his. when he has swept out the
church after morning service. busted the
affairs and put up fresh candles. We talk.
and have got to know one another well.
We do not always agree In our views. 1
do not admire as much rs he and many others
do the sermons OF the -~ignorautelli" for
which Santa Maria is famous. In summer
a platform Is built In the nave, and on Sum
day afternoons. two hours before Ave Maria.
two priests seated In armchairs make the
predica. One Of them. talking In dialect. pre-
tends to be ignorant and asks simple ques-
tons about good and evil. eight and wrong,
In connection. generally, with some striking
event that has recently happened in the
neighborhood. The other replies In simple
language which the folks understand. So
far 80 good; but the 50 grestsno likes. and
| do not much like. the Jokes and funny
things which they sprinkle in their dialogue
to keep the people awake or to set them
laughing. He explains my dislike to this
nv saying that I am no. 2 real Catholic. !or
he sees that / make the sign OF the cross
from right to left. while every one knows
that it should be made from left to right.
W Traste verini." he has told me. we
are the real genuine Romans-we are not Buzz
zurri. There are 80. 900 OF US. men. women
and children. between Porta Portese and
porta Settimiana. We don't want much.
We don't care for books. so that We have
not a single bookseller; the Neasoooer,
Is more reading than we can manage. We
don't bother about politics or about inven-
tons. and as to our writing. it Is done for
us by our "scrivano pubblioo." He writes
for q few sous a letter to any rorestiere who
is rich and may give us money; and he writes
on paper that we find at the drogherla. so
that the stationer would be useless. Still.
w have good schools, they say. We have,
too. the best wine In Rome at the Cisterna.
right OF our Piazza di Santa Maria. Many
a Tedesco comes there of an evening bring
ing his friends with him. and there they sit
for hours. drinking "a only the Tedeschi can.
smoking and talking In such a funny way
that you scarcely know whether they are
speaking their own language or what they
think to be ours. Our women are beautiful
when they are young and pious when they
get old. and they are courageous as few men
are. was a mere stripping In 'B when
the French came and the bombs were NY
ing everywhere. Our women of Trastevere
saved our homes-they took up bombs In
their petticoats and threw them into the
fountains before they had time to explode.
Some were killed in doing IL. and mamma
mis- was one OF them. ] Just recollect seeing
her throw NJ her arms and fall down dead.
PoverettA. she went up straight to Para
disc. They are good mothers, too. Anew
yea ~ ago the wife OF the este there 10 the
right brought her husband three babies at
once, They were taken In a land6 to San
Pietro to be christ ened Romulus, Remus
and Roma. they called them. and they are
all three fine and healthy with hair I'M
combed hnd dirty noses. When three chill
! dren are born together they ha We thd right
to be christened In st. Peters: but surely
1rasteverini ought TO be christened here In
Santa Maria. which is far more beautiful is
II not. madama?-tha that big, numbering
st. Peters. which wasn't built until our
church was many. many centuries old
He 10 proud Of his church and OF The monu-
ments in il. concerning one OF which. by the
bye. he told me a very interesting tale.
At the end Of the nave. to your lett as
you face the high altar. is the tomb OF q
priest who died more than 100 years ago.
On the tomb are his mi three crescents
in one row two 10 the next and one solitary
crescent underneath. The priests mother
was a Piccolomini. a. too was Pope Plus H.,
who bore the same coat IS this on the tomb,
before his journey to C~onstantinople.
After his return he changed the coat 10
five crescents. AS We now generally see il
--one above. three in the middle. one below .
Plus H.. Eneas Silvius Picoolomini, lived
about the time when the Turks we're cross
ing to assail Constantinopie. He was q
learned gentleman from siena and very
fond OF travelling. though apparently he
was somewhat careless In the direction he
took. for once when he was sent to Scotland
he lost his way and landed in Africa. An
other m he was more fortunate. He
SET on for Constantinople and managed to
get there all right at a rather critical mo-
ment when the Turks were already threat
enine the town. Enea silvio went TO pay
his respects to the last OF the Greek En-
perors. who received him very kindly. The
young Italian told his Majesty that he
would like to take back some little remem-
brance Of bis journey to his native town.
Siena. The Emperor took from q shrine
n OF his most precious relics, the real
arm OF 81. John the Baptist. and presented
1t to his guest. He Vas glad, he said, to
think that 80 precious A thing should BE-
kept safe from danger Of the Turks. Enea
Silvio was overawed, he blushed and he
wept. and then. ct last. he asked what
token Of his gratitude the p%itcoi'uomo Of
Siena could offer to the imperial Majesty
10 return. The Emperor made a strange
answer, that he coveted one Of the six big
srescents In the young mans coat of arms,
The gift was made. Enea Silvio took thu
most venerable arm under his own and
went straight with il to Siena, where Il
still lies in the Chapel OF 81. John the Ban.
list. as you may see u the sasrestuno OF
the Duomo there will show IL to YOU. Since
that time the Piccolomini have always used
Ave crescents and are content. In
that each Of the Ave Is good enough IN,
an Emperor. The one crescent of the
Piccolomini Of Siena became the sim al
the Byzantian Emperor and was taken
over by the Turks when they took Con.
stantinople, To this day II has remained
the sisn OF those inndels.
The sacristan's tale has q SEQUEL which
subsequently l told him. When Cons,.n.
tinople was Just about to fall, the Emperor
called Bessarion. Archbishop Of Constsn.
tinople, and asked him to take hia two son,
and his daughter Zoe to Rome 10 the carr
Of Enea silvio Piccoiomini. now Pope Plus If
Bessarion and the three children vent IA
to Rome and became Catholics. They were
rebap'ized and had 10 take new names.
n o-