The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-01-31
Frederick Haskin's Letter
Ttuo Hundred and Sixty Popes.

; OF the apostle for whom II vas
ed, st. Peters has been calIa5 ~ ~
parent church of ChristaTs ~
When Nero's executioners I H. ~
old fisherman away to his ds.g
he was SO infirm that he conf -,
carry his cross, and they crpris ~,
him where he fell beneath ~
weight. The old chronicles g..
that few weeping Christians 49,
there in the yellow sand that 49,
night to pray, and men have -
going there 10 worship ever sibss
First a little chapel marked -
spot, then a larger structure coN
cred it for 100 years, finally
give way to the present tova,i,-
pile which was commenced 1ss
years ago. Great toll and o..
wealth were expended in rear
this mighty cathedral, and ms
of the earth's great dead are aslss5
in its friendly shelter. Il il III
lowed by such sacred associate.
that all who enter instantly feel ~
spirit OF its majestic soIemnity IN.
titanic proportions of everytbinS
and the age-lOng story that is 10,
en- in the very woof of it, appeal /,
the senses in a way that can neits'
er be resisted nor explained.
Vatican Has 11,OG0 Rooms.
Adjoining st. Peters is the Vat.
can, the home of the popes and N.
largest palace in the world. Tina,
this extraordinary structure il
worthy neighbOr of massive q
Peters may be realized from b.
statement that it contains II O5
rooms, has 80 magnificent halls a
galleries, z grand chapels "a
courts, s state staircases and 2N
smaller ones, besides museums n.
braries and archiYe. Il is lDdeoS
a treasury of art. It is said tbat
the contents of the Sistine chapel
alone are worth a billion dollars
Who could estimate the price that
Michael Angeles Last judgment"
or Raphael's 'TransfguratiopD
would bring if they were Offered
for sale? While no combination Of
circumstances can be conceived
that would lead to such a possibll-
ity, if the contents of the Vatican
were ever offered for sale, there il
not a fortune in the world larps
enough to pay the price they would
command.
The tremendous extent Of The
Vatican, as well as the incUmput-
able amount of treasure it con.
tains, is shown in the story about
room which for some reason was
walled up and became lost for cen
turtles. After a long search en-
trance to it was gained through
window overlooking the roof Of the
Sistine chapel, and the rare decOra-
tons of its walls were again
brought to light. 1t is known tina.
some valuable frescoes are hiddel
by wooden wainscoting in another
room once occupied by a luxurious
cardinal, and it is not unlikely that
other art treasures have been lost
entirely in its labyTinthiaQ e.
tent.
Upon leaving the visitor cannot
help but turn for a last look up
ward to the window where the
lonely old man Of the Vatican keeps
his vigil. What a big thing he rep
resents! He is virtually a prisoner
in his huge palace, yet all the world
comes to see him. He is without
an army, without territory. and
without a voice in the councils Of
the nations, yet he rules approx
275,00O,OOO subjects with
the gentle sway of spiritual SOW
ereignty. AS you go away the bells
of st. Peters begin to clang, and
you realize that it is the hour OF
Vespers; you realize that the mes
sage OF those bells not only rolls
across the fields beyond the yellow
Tiber, but reVerberates around the
world.