The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1920-08-07
IN ITALY

In the adjoining monastery are mural
paintings by Andrea del Sarto, the
artist with 'certainty of touch"
Through the kind Offices of Monsig-
nor Mort we were conducted through
the Palazzo Medici. Most striking is
the chapel with its frescoes by Coz
zoli. We also visited the Palazzo Vec-
chic and climbed up into the tower
where is the prison in which Savonar.
ola was detained.
Finally, we saw the monastery of
San Marco, suppressed by the govern
ment in 1867, and now restored as the
| Museo di San Marco. Here we saw
| the cell, the vestments and books OF
| st. Antonine, at one time Archbishop
of Florence. Here too is the cell of
| Savonarola. In these cells as well as
in the refectories, chapter, etc, are
beautiful paintings by Fra Angelica
and Fra BartolOmeo Cloth Dominican
monks) who lived here. In the mon
astic library which was the first pub
lie library in Italy, are long glass
cases containing about two hundred
missals and hymnals with exquisite il
Elimination work and miniatures chief
ly by Fra Benedetto, the brother of
Angelica. After spending nearly a
week in Florence we set out for Rome.
In the Eternal City.
We arrived in Rome at midday. SO
the first thing we did was to locate a
restaurant and get luncheon. Then.
!
and Clerical College where we found
J lodging. This place is directly beside
st. Peters, SO we spent the remainder
of the afternoon looking about st. Pet
er's. Strange to relate, one is some
, what disappointed with the first
glimpse of ST. Peters. Owing to the
J immense piazza and the marvellous
proportions, it does not seem to be so
large as it actually is. After time
J its immensely grows on one. Espe-
! cially when one goes inside and COM
: pares it's length with those of several
2 Of the other large Cathedrals, as in
: Dictated in the pavement, one begins to
. realize it's stupendOus size. Then, the
Y side chapels, each church in itself.
: makes one realize the hugeness of the
: whole. But it is only when mounting
a to the dome that one fully appreciates
the gigantic proportions Of the struC-
ture. Already from the first balcony
q people walking beneath look quite
. diminished in stature, while from the
y | second balcony they seem mere pyg-
G mics. Then, one mounts higher still
and finally climbs up a ladder into
# the very ball on which rests the cross.
, | celebrated Mass in st. Peters a
- number Of times, once at the altar be-
~ meath which rests the body of ST.
:, Peter. We were conducted through
= the crypt of St. Peters by DR.. KirsCh,
! the archeologist and professor at Fri
', bourg. He happened to be in Rome
, at the time and was staying at the
g same place we were. Among other
70 interesting things he showed us the
walls of the ancient basilica with frag-
ments of frescoes. The ancient has
ilica was built in the Circus of Nero
q and the present Church is on the
J. site of the former basilica.
4 1t would require too much paper and
J. too much of your time, were | to give
a. a detailed account of what | saw in
Rome. | shall confine myself to a few
@ of the truly large and magnificent
% sights Vatican, Roman Forum with
q the Coliseum, the Pantheon, the Cat
c acombs, the Baths of Caracalla. the
# churches of San Clemente, Of Saints
n John and Paul, Of St. Cecilia and Of
n Santa Croce.
e Audience With the Holy Father.
W The Vatican is of course very large;
!, it contains perhaps 1000 halls, chap
els, salons" and private apartments.
"a BY far, the greater part of this space
o is occupied by art and historical col
r, lections and by state apartments. a
\ comparatively small part of the build
ing being set aside for the papal court.
There is nothing in the Vatican quiz e
v so important and impressive as the
&c Holy Father And it was my good
y fortune to have the privilege of at
. tending an audience, receiving his
~ Blessing and kissing his ring (Thn
- report about kissing his foot is all
= nonsenseD In the other parts of the
% Vatican we spent many hours on dif
Il ferent days, looking through the pic
- ture gallery, the library, the museums
! and the Sistine chapel. To describe
- these things at all adequately one
would be obliged to write book.
- shall simply say that l saw the CodeX
. Vaticanus and a palimpseGt.
m We trod every foot of the Old Rom.
n an Forum, where Cicero delivered his
v orations, and with the help of our
n guide books succeeded in reconstruct
N ing it very we'll.
Re The Coliseum is another of thosc
d. world wonders and like St. Peters
has no duplicate. 1t is simply im
mense.
lie The Pantheon, once pagan tempt
v dedicated to all the gods, is now a
} church. 1t is not so marvellous.
m
tot The Catacombs.
10 We were conducted through thu
II, Catacomb of St. Domitilla and that Of
ID st. Calixtus by DR.. Kirsch. He has
ce studied them for years and knows tie
IN interesting spots by heart. A guide
ct is ABSOLUTELY necessary; for the net
Of e{@