The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-10-01
LIMA CATHEDRAL, 29O
 YEARS OLD, THE MOST INTERESTING IN AMERICA

Perhaps the most interesting cathe- dray to be found in the New World is. that of Lima. the Peruvian capi- tai While the present Lima Cathe-l dralis comparatively modern, it oc- cupies the site and is in part con- structed of the materials used in the original edifice, which was finally fin ished and consecrated 290 years ago today. October 1, 1925, having re- quired 90 years to build. The sacred edif1ce was commenced in 1885, shortly after the founding of the City
 of the Kings-now called Lrna-by Pizarro,s the cruel conqueror of the Inca empire. The ground for the cathedral was laid out by Pizarro, on the east side of fhe Plaza, Mayor, on the very date the site of the city was chosen. For more than a century the grandees of the viceregal court worshipped in the cathedral, but in 1746 the edifice and practically the whole city was destroyed by an earth quake. The new cathedral was built on the ruins of the old, and was com pIeted, in I 2 years. The seismic dp- heaval of 1746 occurred on an Octo Der evening. and within g. a.fspace of three minutes the greater part of the proud capital of Spain's New. World empire was in ruips. CaIlao was overwhelmed by the waves caused by the quake. and several ships were carried far inland.
 The cathedral, one of the most inn posing in the world, is a massive stone structure 320 feet long by 1S0 wide, with a facade painted red and yellow. and with three green doors and lath and plaster towers at each
 angle, It has five ads3es, with nine arches. and it's two sides are formed of ten chapels- In one of these chapels. open to public gaze, lie the remains of Francisco Pizarro- It
 <1, ffO North American eyes, but the Lime mans take it as matter or course. The grand altar, is surrounded by beautiful set Of stalls made of cedar and mahogany A Murfllo. and other paintings of the old masters are hung in the church aand in the vestry-
 During the celebration of religious festivals the visitor to Lima may stil see the costumes which were gener- ally worn by the famed beauties of Lima in former times, but which are now donned only on fiesta occasions The costume is a, strange combina- tion of mo desty and bo1dness, for,
 while the face is covered, the con tour of the legs is plainly revealed; The saya manto costume includes the sayo, a petticoat made to fit SO tightly that, being at the same time very elastic, tho form of the limbs is rendered distinctly visible. The nnanto is also a pettfcoat, but, instead of managing downward. it is drawn
 over the upper part of the body and. the face, and is kept so close by the hands, which it also concea1S, that no part of the body, except one eye. is perceptible. For general use the saya mantas was abandoned nearly a century ago, and the Lime nan bellies, in common with the re mainder of the world, now accept Paris as the arbiter of fashion.
 The Limenans find nothing in their religion that conflicts with 9, free in dulgence in their sports of bull1ght- ing and cockfghting, and the young blades and beauties of the city go direct from the cathedral to the bull fight or cooking main. While. the cathedral was not interfered with by the republic, the old palace of the archbishops is now used as a senate chamber, and the torture chamber of the Inquisition is used as a cloak room -kly the slesiSlafOrS.