Los Angeles herald., 1910-03-12
ROME OBSERVES
LENTEN SEASON
IMPRESSIVE CEREMONIES IN
PONTIFF'S DOMAIN
RESIDENTS OF VATICAN OBEY
STRINGENT RULES
Seven Weeks Extending from Ash
Wednesday to Easter Sunday
Period of Profound Re-
lgious Observances

ROME, March 11.--Lent in Rome is
period marked by much more cere-
mony than any other seven weeks OF
the year. From pope to parishoner
every Catholic in Rome is made to
feel that the days between Ash
Wednesday and Easter Sunday are
truly days apart.
The Lenten indult promulgated for
observance throughout the dloceses of
Italy and Europe, though severe i'll
some OF it's provisions, Is by no means
as strict as that which prescribes rules
for the Lenten conduct of the resi-
dents of the Vatican itself. In that
restricted region the most particular
observance of the laws of abstinence
and fasting is required, and when
Easter day comes all residents OF
Rome who owe allegiance to the church
must partake OF the holy communion.
Cards are issued in Rome to those
who have fulfilled their Easter duties
and any parishioner who has no card
to display will seek in vain for SYM
pathy or indulgence at the hand of his
priestly director during the rest OF the
sacred year. Rome is probably the
only city in the world where such
system prevails, and it is probably true
that in no other city would such a
paternal administration of religion be
tolerated
Blessing of the Palms
The blessing of the palms for Palm
Sunday is a notable feature OF Rome
Lenten obserVances and many beauti-
fully entwined designs in palms are
presented to the pope by devout ad-
mirers. There is story connected
with the supplying of these palms to
the Vatican that dates back to the SIX
teenth century, when granite oDellsk
was brought from Egypt to be raised
in the center of st. Peters square.
The dangers attaching to the raising
of the huge monolith. with the crude
appliances then in vogue, were deemed
to be so great that an edict was Is
sued by Pope Sixtus directing that
silence be observed by all spectators.
The governor of the province supple
mented this by an order that all VINO
violated the edict should be condemned
to death Thousands crowded TO the
scene on the eventful day and TO their
dismay they saw the ropes begin 10
stretch and whine. In the dead silence
a voice was raised bidding the workers
water the ropes This was done, and
the ropes held out bravely until the
obelisk was erect.
But the edlct had to he obeyed and
the man who had spoken was placed
under arrest Pope Sixtus had OBJ
served the scene and bade the man be
brought before him. He learned that
the delinquent was a Genoese, a sailor,
who had simply applied his practical
knowledge and experience TO the saw
ing of the lives of the men, who would
have been killed had the ropes snapped.
Pope Sixtus ordered the mans re-
lease and asked him what reward he
would consider suitable for his time
ly warning. The Genoese answered
fn
palms, and would be satisfied to en-
joy the right to supply the Vatican
with his palms every year. It was so
ordered and to this day the descend
ants of that same Genoese supply all
the Vatican palms, and for that mat
ter all the palms that are sold In
Rome.
Easter Sunday is a gala day in
Rome. The parish priests visit every
house and sprinkle it with holy water
receiving in return both Easter eggs
and money donations.
one OF the great ceremonies during
Lent in the Eternal City is the ordina-
ton of all the priests, deacons and
sub-deacons who have been studying
In the Roman colleges for year or
more, and have qualified themselves
for the sacred office.
AS a rule fully 400 ordinations take
place, and this year Cardinal Respighl,
the cardinal vicar of Rome, who VIII
ofIlciate, expects an even larger num-
ber. The American college contributes
six candidates two of whom are for
the priesthood, most of the rest viii
come from the numerous other col
leges. German, Scotch, Irish, Greek,
etc. and the great college of the prop
aganda. The Roman seminaries Will
furnish some.
AS the majority of the candidates for
ordination do not live in Rome, the I'M
pressiVe ceremony, which is held in the
Cathedral of ST. John Lateran, does
not attract the Roman parishioners to
anv great extent. The splendid nave
of tho cathedral is often half empty on
such occasions.
throughout Lent the students devote
themselves to an especially hard course
of study, and before they can present
themselves for the coveted honors they
must pass an examination of extreme
ripor. which is conducted under the
general supervision of the cardinal
vicar. the ecclesiastical representative
of the pope, titular bishop Of Rome.
Hundreds of priests of all degrees
take part in this great annual function,
and the scene presented is brilliant
The ceremonies last five or six hours
according to the number of ordinations
Immediately afterward the newly or
dained priests and deacons scatter to
their respective colleges.
Their first mass is celebrated in the
college chapel as a rule. and then they
start for their respective homes. But
many of them are ambitious to officiate
I'm the Vatican Basllica or the tomb Of
ST. Peter
The pope receives all the young
priests in special audience, and before
bestowing his blessing on them gives
them words of sage advice out of the
book of his personal experiences.