Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-02-01

I On account Of It's age and because
II shelters the burial place Of mo
apoetle for whom Il was nafnod. 81.
Peters has been called the parent
church OF Christendom When Nero's
cxecutiopers led tho old ffaherfoan
away TO his death. he vas SO infrrn
that he could not carry mis- cross.
and they crucified him where ne feil
beneath it's weight. The old chronicle,
state that few weeping christ,au.
knelt there IN the yellow sand that
same night 70 pray. and mon have
been going there TO worship ever
since.
| First n little chapel marked IN.
spot, then larger structure covered
II for LOO years. finally 10 give way
70 the present towering Pile which
was commenced 4ss years ago. Great
toll and great wealth were expended
In rearing this mighty cathedral. and
many or the earth's great dead are
asleep in its friendly shelter. It Is
nalloWed by such sacred associations
mat al who enter instantly feel tho
spirit OF its majestic soiemnify The
titanic proportions Of everything, and
me ase-lopg story that ig woven IN
INC very wool Of II, appeal 20 the
senses In way that can neither 30
resisted nor explained.
faNcan Has 1900 Rooms.
Adjoining st. Peters IL the vatloa,
the nome OF the Popes and tho largest
4, palace In the world That this ex-
ttraordinary structure Is q worthy
neighDor OF massive 81. Peters may
be realized from the statement that 4
J tcontains 1000 rooms has 30 rnagnfe-
cent halls nine galleries. seven grand
Z chapeis, 20 courts, eight state stair
!, cages and 200 smaller ones. besisay
D museums, Libraries and archives II q
: indeed a treasury Of art. II IL said
! that the contents OF the sistins Chapel
alone are worth billion dollars who
could estimate the price that Ml~basl
Angeles Last Judgment. or Repbss1't
| TRANSPORTATION would bring II they
. were offered for sale? While M com
q bination Of circumstances can he con-
ceived that would lead 70 such pos
: sibility, IL the contents Of the Vatican
= were ever offered for sale, there is not
u a fortune IN the world large enough
y TO pay the price they would command
q The tremendous extent Of the Vati-
! can, as well as the lncomputabie
% amount Of treasure it contains #,
n shown in the story about a room which
y for some reason was walled I'd and
is became lost for centuries. After a
e long search, entrance % It was game
through A window overlooking the roo
Ie Of the Sistine Chapel, and the rar.
ls decorations Of its walls were agsir
A brought 70 light. II is known tha
se some valuable frescoes are hidden b,
~ wooden wainscoting in another room
~ once occupied by q luxurious cardinal
90 and Il Ia not unlikely that other ar
"A treasures have been lost entirely L
Al It's iabyrinthian extent.
- Upon leaving, the visitor canro
- help but turn for last look t1pwar,
. 70 the window where the lonely Oh
>. man Of the Vatican keeps his vfzf
:, What a big thing he Representa- II
Il IS virtually a prisoner in his hug
"a palace. yet all the world comes 20 Sc
:. him. He ia without an army, withou
80 territory, and without a voice In IN
~ councils or-~the nations, yet he rule
~ approximately 275.o00,d 900 subject
~ with the gentle sway OF spir,tus
~ sovereignty. AS you go away the beil
nc OF ST. Peters begin to clang. and 20
re realize that Il "a the hour of vespers
IN you realize that the message OF thos
ne bells not only rolls across the field
IN beyond the yellow Tiber, but reveber
ates around the world