The Arvada enterprise., 1910-09-16

have yet been in; the tapestries
are splendid, the coverings very
pleasing. One of the most
unique places I ever visited was
the old Cappuccini church built
in 1924, underneath the church
are a number Of rooms filled and
artistically decorated with the
bones of thousands of Capuchin
monks who have been buried
here from the 18th century to
1870 when the Italian govern
ment forbade its continuance;
the earth was brought from Cal
vary. The monks were buried
for a time, then the corpses were
exhumed, dressed and put in a
niche, when place was wanted
the bones were dismembered
and used fantastically to decorate
the rooms, these are truly pic
turesque horrors. This is the
way Mark Twain spoke Of it,
Their different parts are we'll
separated-sk skulls in one room,
legs in another, ribs in another,
there would be stirring times
here for a while if the last trump
should blow; some of the breth-
rem would find themselves limp
ing and looking through eyes
that were wider apart or closer
together than they were used to. /"
| wish could adequately de-
scribe the magnificent church Of
St. Peter, it is the largest and l
believe the most costly in the
world, it has already cost the
Catholic world over $40, 600, 900
and more than $50, 900 are spent
annually in repairs and cleaning.
/ met today one of the canons of
the church, he told me that there
were SO priests connected with
the church. At vesper service
from $50 to $50 last evening
and this evening l saw about SO
of these priests taking part in
the service, | have visited it four
times and each time enjoyed it
the more, the singing was beau
tiful; the greatness and beauty
grows on one from visit to visit.
1t certainly is prodigious struc-
ture, it is $40 feet in length and
1854 feet in width; the dome to
the top of the cross is 437 feet
high, its inner diameter is stated
at 1873 feet, it is so beautifully
proportioned and harmonized
that one does not comprehend its
massiveness, two buildings the
size of the capitol building at
Washington could be placed in
side this noble structure. It was
founded in 314-336 by Pope Syl-
vester /, over the grave of St.
Peter; the old building having
fallen into disrepair, a new one
was projected and begun in 1452.
it was completed in 1929. Be-,
meath the dome towers grand
bronze canopy which covers the
papal altar standing oyer the
tomb of St. Peter, round which ON
on the marble balustrade SO lamps
are kept continually burning; the
dome rests on four massive piers
each 234 feet in circumference,
by the fourth pillar to the right
is the sitting statue Of st. Peter
in bronze probably of the 5th
century, the right foot is worn
smooth by the kisses of the de-
votees. The church will accomo-
date standing about 60, 900 peo-
pie. Adjoining the church is the
vatican or prison palace Of the
pope, it contains the most won-
derful collection of sculptures in
the world and some excellent
paintings especially of Raphael
and Michel Angelo; it is a piled
up mass Of masonry on the out
side but beautiful inside, there
are 1000 rooms, on the ceiling in
Lilc OiSIlilc Cildpcl are pdlHllIlSb
on which Michael Angelo worked
for four years.
The Pantheon is the only an
cient edifice in Rome, with the
walls and vaulting in perfect
preservation, it was used as pa
gan temple and later became a
Christian church and remains 80
now; it contains the tombs of
Kings Victor Emanuel and Hum
bert of Italy also of Raphael the
great painter, the walls are %
feet thick and were faced with
stucco and white marble, the ex-
terror Of the dome was originally
of shining gilt bronze, the inte-
rior is of concrete beautifully cof-
fered, the church is circular in
form covered with the dome 142
feet high and the same in diam
eter, the interior lighted by a
single aperture % feet in diam
eter and always open produces a