Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-02-01

isons can only partially portray the
real magnitude of this colossus. u
covers six acres. Its main aisle Is
an eighth of v mile long, and its
dome IS a twelfth of a mile high.
If st. Peters were flooded the larg-
est ship that sails the ocean could
steam UP the central aisle and it's
masts would scarcely reach above
the top of the high altar. If its
capacity were taxed to the utmost
q congregation of $4,000 people
might assemble within it's walls. and
200, 900 more could wait outside
within the enclosure Of the colon
nades. In the lofty dome there is
a mosaic of st. Luke with a pen in
his hand. From the great height
the pen seem Of ordinary size. but
in reality it IS eight feet long.
On account of it's age, and be-
cause it shelters h burial place or
the apostle for whom it was named,
st. Peters has been called the par
ent church of Christendom. When
Nero's eXecutioners led h old fish,
erman away to his death, he was SO
inGrm tha' lie could no. carry his
cross. and they crucified him where
he fell beneath it's weight. The Did
chronicles state that a few weeping
Christians krclt there in the yellow
sand that same night to pray. and
men have been going there to WOE.
ship ever since.
First a little chapel marked the
spot then a larger structure COW
cred it for 100 years, finally to give
way to the present towering pile
which was commenced 466 years
ago. Great toll and great wealth
were expended in rearing this Nigh.
ty cathedral, and many of the
earth's great dead are asleep in its
friendly shelter. 1t is hallowed by
such sacred associations that all
lwho enter Instantly feel the spirit
of it's majestic solemnity. The I'll
tanic proportions of everything. n
the age-long story that is woven in
the very wool Of it, appeal to the
senses in a way that a neither be
resisted nor explained.
Vatican Has II 900 Rooms
Adjoining st. Peters is the Vat
lean, the home of the Popes and
the largest place in the world. That
this extraordinary structure Is a
worthy neighbor of massive st. Pc
ter's may be realized from the state
ment that it contains 1900 rooms,
has thirty magnificent halls, ninc
galleries, grand chapels. TWEEN
ty courts eight state staircases and
200 smaller ones, besides museums,
libraries and archives. 1t is indeed
q treasury of art. 1t is said that
the contents of the Sistine chapel
alone are worth a billion dollars.
Who could estimate the price that
Michael Angeles Last Judgment or
Raphaers TRANSPORTATION would
bring II they eve offered for SALE
While no combination of circum-
stances can be conceived that would
lead to such a possibility, II the
contents Of the Vatican were ever
offered for sale, there is not a fort
une in the world large enough to
pay the price they would command.
The tremendous extent of the
Vatican, as we'll as the incomput-
able amount of treasure 1t contains
is shown in the story about a room
which for some reason was walled
up and became lost for centuries.
After a long search entrance to it
was gained through a window over
looking the roof of the Sistine chap
ell. and the rare decorations of its
walls were again brought to ligh..
1t is known that some valuable
f~rescoes are hidden by wooden
w~ainscoting in another room once
occupied by luxurious cardinal and
it is not unlikely that other art
treasures have been lost in its Ia
! byrinthian extent.
Upon leaving the visitor cannot
help but turn for a last look upward
to the window where the lonely olo
man Of the Vatican keeps his vigil.
What a big thing he represents
He is virtually a prisoner in his huge
palace, yet all the world comes ID
see him. He is without an army,
without territory, and without a
voice in the councils of the nations.
yet he rules approximately 275,000,-
900 subjects with the gentle sway of
spiritual sovereignty. AS you 20
away the bells of st. Peters begin
to clang. and you realize hat it is
the hour OF vespers: you realize thai
the message of those bells not only
rolls across the fields beyond the
yellow Tiber, but r~everberates
around the world.