The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1915-08-21
OFFICIAL HOUSE OF THE PGPES
THE VATICAN AND ITS GLoRlEs
IN ART, LITERATURE AND
SCIENCE.


SCIENCE.
AS the official residence of the Pom
tiff, the Vatican has especial in
terest for Catholics; among artists il
is celebrated as possessing the most
magnificent collection of paintings
and sculptures in the world, says the
San Francisco Monitor.
The Vatican is so-called from its
situation on the Mons Vaticanus, In
the extreme northwestern part of the
city of Rome. It adjoins the basilica
Of st. Peter, and is a little less than a
mile from the Castle of Saint Ange
10, with which it communicates by a
covered gallery built early in the
fifteenth century. The palace itself
is one of the most magnificent in the
world, but as it has grown by degrees
| it consequently exhibits a want Of
architectural harmony.
There was palace attached to st
Peters certainly in the time of Char
lemagne and probably before the reigr
| of Constantine 1t did not, however
become the permanent residence Of
the Popes until after their return
from Avignon in 1877. Additions
were made by successive Popes, and
very little of the present edifice is
older than the time of Nicholas v
| CAD. The renovation of the ole
palace, which he commenced, was
completed by Alexander VI, after
whom that part of the building is now
called the Borgia Apartment.
The famous Sistine Chapel was
added by Sixtus w, in 1474, and the
Pauline Chapel in 1884 by Paul III
| The Belvidere Villa, short distance
from the palace, was constructed by
Innocent VIII, and Julius II connect
ed it with the Vatican by means o.
the celebrated loggia and terracet
court.
Some idea of the immensely of the
palace may be gained from the fac
that there are over 5000 rooms anC
200 staircases. The Great Staircase
is masterpiece of Bernini, and leads
to the audience hall for the recep
ton of guests.
In the Pauline Chapel may be seer
/ Angeles frescoes of the Conversion
of st. Paul" and "Crucifxion of st
Peter"
The Chapel of ST. Lorenzo has sc
ries of remarkable frescoes by FIR;
Angelica.
The "Stanze of Raphael" is tn,
name given to four chambers decor
ated by the hand of that great mas
ter.
The museum is the most magnifi
cent collection of the kind ever made
Here are to be seen the LAGOON, Ar
ollo Belvedere, the colossal Athlete o
Lysippus, the Cupid of Praxiteles, 8
900 specimens of ancient monument
and innumerable other classic treas
uries.
The picture gallery contains great
er treasures than any other in tn
world, though the whole catalogu
barely numbers so paintings. Amon
these are Raphaers "Transfigurs
tion,'' Madonna di Foligno" an
Coronation of the Virgin" Domer
chino's Communion of ST. Jerome,
and works by Titan, Andrea Sacch
N. Poussin, Guido, Caravaggio, Barot
clio, Perugino, Guercino, Fra Angelic
da Fiesole. Pinturicchfo, Corregit
Melozzo da Forli, Andrea Mantegns
and Paul Veronese.
| JnI fv1
and now contains 10000 volume
and 25,500 manuscripts, in a buildin
erected by Sixtus v in 1888. TIL
manuscript collection, though not tn
largest, is the most valuable in til
world
The many revolutions and invasion
; of Rome, which were always marke
by picking and stealing treasures an
works of art, have greatly diminishe
the inheritance of the Vatican in thi
department. Yet something of til
unique remains.
1t is with particular interest tina
1ne stands before the huge glass cas-
which encloses the blue silk dalmati
If Charlemagne-for such traditio
asserts this grandly embroidered rob
% be-and think of the ages that hav
passed since it hung on the mani
shoulders of Charles the Great at tn
end of the eighth century. That
one of the glories of the collection.
The tiara which the inhabitants {
Lyons prepared in one day for the d.
i spoiled Pontiff Plus VIA touehiI,
ign Of their generation and devotio
lis an object that suggests the dolo
Jus path which, in these later year
the Pontiffs have had to travel.