The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1917-02-17

are lying PROSTATE and thirty-eight are
thus distributed: Nine in Egypt, two
In Constantinople, twelve in Rome.
and six in Naples and other parts of
Italy; two in France, four in England,
two in Germany and one in the Unit
ed States, whose recent history as told
in the tremendous task undertaken by
Commander Goringe of the navy to
bring it from Egypt, and place it in
Central Park in New York City was
full of strenuous and interesting detail.
But the history of all these obelisks
can be obtained from vast array of
photography, much of which is still
to be translated from the Italian and
French records particularly from
Fontana in his Della trasportatione
del Oblischo Vaticano" G5OO) and "a
History of Obelisks," by L'Hote paris,
1856. There was one obelisk erected
in Heliopolis by Usertesen |, between
279S and 2714 B. c., that still exists.
All of these shafts are more or less
covered by photographers, excepting
the one in front of st. Peters, which
is bare.
The largest obelisk is on the piazza
OF st. John Lateran in Rome. 1t was
brought from Thebes to Alexandria
about 23O A. d. by Constantine the
Great, and thence to Rome by Con-
stantine, who placed it in the Circus
MaXimus. 1t measures in height 1OS
feet inches and weight 455 tons. On
the fall of Rome it was broken in
three pieces and lay neglected on the
ground until Pope Sixtus had it taken
from the ruins and restored in 1888.
The obelisk in Central Park is 50
feet 6 inches high, nearly feet
square at the base and weighs AS, 900
pounds, or 224 tons. The London obe-
lisk is 6S feet inches high, Z by 8
feet at the base, and weighs 200 tons.
The "St. Peters Obelsk" was esti-
mated by the Fontana to weigh 800
tons. 1t was brought from Heliopolis
to Rome by Caligula and placed in
the Vatican Tor Nero) Circus, where
it stood upon the "Spina." 1t is said
to be the only monument in Rome
never overthrow. 1t had been her.
culean job to get it there, but now,
believing that it might be utilized to
support a great cross as an impress
sive symbol of Christianity in a move
against the paganistic relics of Rome,
Pope SiXtus V had it removed from
its foundations in the Circus Nero to
be set up in the great plaza in front
of st. Peters, under the direction of
Domenico Fontana.
The transference of the tremendous
block of stone was accompanied by
some remarkable ceremonies and an
interest that was full Of dramatic, al
most tragic, intensity. 1t was placed
on great rollers that had been care
fully prepared and tested. Fontana
superintended every detail of the low
ering of the shaft, that was much more
easily accomplished than the raising
of it, as you will presently see.
Eight hundred men and $50 horses
were employed in the transportation
| and thousands of people watched
every moment of it's progress.
Forty-siX huge cranes had been put
| in place at various points reckoned
with skill and ingenuity. When all
was ready the great square was Gov
| cred at all sides sufficiently beyond
| the working space by vast concourse
| of people. The neighboring house
tops were also occupied, and Pope
SiXtus and his officers of state and
| government held commanding posi-
| ton.
Never had a greater crowd assem-
bled in Rome. The silence of it was
| so awesome that there seemed to be
something portentous and ominous tc
a degree Of terror. Finally there
| appeared to be a concerted movement
among the workmen and the great
| hempen cables of the cranes were
seen to tighten and then to move
and then the stone monster began
slowly to rise.
Everything seemed to proceed sc
VIGOROUSLY that at last there ap.
| peared to be but few inches to over
come when the shaft would find its
absolute perpendicular and settle on
| its new base-when the hosting sud
| denly stopped. 1t was seen that the
ropes were yielding. Fontana had ne
| elected to allow for their tension. A
feeling of personal dismay ran through
the mind of every one. The situation
was strained to tragic intensity, but
suddenly, in that deathly silence and
suspense, a voice rang out:
| Aqua allie funi.''
1t was desperate cry from one OF
the multitude to throw water on the
ropes. AS quick as flash the work
men seized upon the vital meaning OF
these words which hurtled like an ar
row across the open space. The man
] that shouted them was a sailor who