KIANG-NAN (CHINA.)

New Zealand Tablet, Volume I, Issue 36, 3 January 1874, Page 10

KIANG-NAN (CHINA.)

We borrow from ' Lea Missions Catholiqu.es' the following interesting correspondence :—: — Some time since, we announced the laying of the foundation-stone of the church of Notre- Dame- Auxiliatrice at Zo-ce- This church, now completely finished, was solemnly opened oh the Ist May, 1873. The details of this ceremony have been communicated to us in a letter from the R. J. Pfistu, S. J., missionary in Kiang-Nan, aud dated from Shang-hai, sth May. The new church, in the Grecian style, is in the form of a cross, with four equal arms. The priucipal arm terminates in a .semi-circle to receive the higa altar. A gallery, supported by pillars, reaches the whole length of t.'ie edifice aud ends at eich side in common halls 0..c for the men. the other ."or <.l i women — and nas two hexagonal cbapeh, dedi'-atec to St. Joseph >i >l to tlie Guardian A.ngel. Throe principal entrances and three lateral gates, afford those wno are out-

side on opportunity of following the ceremonies. On the right and on the left, two platforms, joined by an esplanade in stone, lead up to the gallery, which is reached by means of a monumental staircase in granite. On the brow of the hill is situated the residence, with a private chapel, hidden behind bamboos, firs, and other trees. Between the residence and the church, an imposing " Way of the Cross " lias been consf ructed j all the stations are in bronze, encrusted in niches and covered with a grating, A gradual slope leads from one station to another, and the " Way of the Cross," begun at the private diapel, terminates at a great cross fixed in the etone work of the esplanade. Round the mountain, canals flow in all directions through the rice fields-. n On the 3©th April, the Christians, though they got but a short notice, arrived in g* at numbers from all the surrounding districts ; and, by five o'clock in the evening, I had counted upwards of 700 barks in the shady little canal which runs along the mountain side. Without exaggeration, I think the number of boats present the followday might ba ea'culated at 10,200 ; and if we assign to ench eight or ten persons, on an average, these barks represent 1,000 to 12,000 Christians, without counting those who came on foot. Adding to these the pagans, assembled from all the environs through curiosity, the number of persoi s who flowed into Zo-ce" during those two days may be estimat-d at from 25,000 to 35,000. And when we consider that the vieariat does not contuin more than 80,000 Christians, we h»ve reason to look on this affluence as a solemn manifestation, hitherto unknown in China, of our Christians proclaiming publicly their religion and their devotion to the Mother of the Saviour. As soon as the barks arrived, all hastened to reach the mountain of the Holy Mother. It was not without emotion fhat one beheld men, women who had passed the day and night in rowing, fra»il» yonng girls, and little children, climbing, under the burning rays of the sun the eteep and winding path which leads to the private chapel. There' gathered in groups of from ten to forty persons, they commenced to repeat aloud the prayers of the Way to the Cross. These pious exerdses continued from four in the morning till ten at night The following morning, Ist May, from three o'clock in the morning, the church was crammed. Masses commenced at the three altars in the church, at the private chapel, and at the village of Tchan«. poa Kiao, where, for want, of room, many had to pass the night at Kong lou. There were about 2,000 communions. At half- past six o'clock, the masses being ended, the lane Chinese trumpets resounded, calling the pilgrims to join in procession • and at seven o'clock, a discharge of fireworks, accompanied with the beating of drums, announced that the triumphal march was about to oommence. The procession opened with six silver crosses and six trumpets. Ihen followed night banners of the different congregations, borne principally by the Christian confraternities, the streamers being held by (he administrating members. Each banner was followed by from wenty th thirty flags-white, blue, red, and violet-carried by youths tin surplices, chosen from the different societies j then, four drums the children of the choir twenty torch-bearers, the cross and the degy-The latter numbered twenty-two priesty, besides scholastics; MonßeigneurLanguillat, under a canopy, accompanied by twenty or ?£*sSa£& raDk ' aU Wearh * rr ° Sett - ° f -»- -fors The way was lined with a multitune of banners of various shades, »ud waving from the top of each station was a white flag adorned with » red cross. The banners mounfng slowly, the sun playing in their "j' th , e . f, Pum » t * a . t "& the trumpets sending forth their prolonged wunds, all those Christians praying about and charting "the charms and htames of the biased Virgin, the 9fi ice of the wind agitating the banners and the confused murmur of -tfie multitude like to that of a troubled sea : that waa a. spectacle ! And that upon a mountain, but ten years ago in the power of the demon; in front of an immense plam, alrnoßt entirelp pagan : certainly this was a moving sight ! The Others felt their voices tremble aad the tears fall from their eves MoneeigneurLanguiUat, sobbed aloud, and from the dep ihs of all Wp, arose towards Mary, help of Christians, this fe.vLt prayer mZ' 'n "X Church '. 8^ France, protect us, convert China." »»,« Mea " whlle ' *« Procession drew up under the peristyle, and in Sut t Ur D ln° O d th f P °M lfi^ h % hm^^mences, chanted through out in plain chant, with harmonious accompaniments. A Chinese Father recals m a few words to the ansembled Christians the end and *m of the ceremonies. Ir ,s, he said, to honor^ne holy Mother, by Jhffeon tZV\ c n !10! 10 namen ame ° f the vicaPiat b * th * Superion 7f the Miteion, the K. J. Delia Corte, in Tien-Tsin. The danger waa rsi 5r V 5 ii n f in h eusion greater » m - He p**** * '™ urc .V eY* M ° ther WOUld P rotect the vic^iat. It ia also to thank her for her protection, for, thauk 3 to her, the Kiang Nau has hod nothing to suffer from the consequences of Tien-Tain- £naHy it la to re-establish the work of pilgrimages rrn efoot h ni- 7> tjy .much given to this kind^oYon ; £ Pilgnmages and it is to afford a help to ,he devo^of our ChrSians to paeeent them so noble and touching an end 1 vunsiwns After high mat* and the chanting of " f c Dcum ' Monsei?n<>iir have the consolation of receiving the Holy Communion. The Christians showed themselves generous : they gave on tluir S^Churd, 11 thoUßaDd Pi " tre8 ' tbat " to "*'*<>" W0 °frat! In the afternoon, solemn benediction of the Holy Sacrament .gam « th. evening, as on the eve. the Way of tho CroTwas

Uumtnated. Lanterns, half hidden in the bamboos and fiw, formed a train of light, ending in a great luminous cross upon the esplan.vie by this glimmering light, " Way of the Cross " wa» repeated several times. I insist on this pointf because our Christians hive a particular taste for this grand devotionj I: it a general custom in eaoli mission to perform this derotion in common every Sun lay. Night boiu» come, there arose from each bark the chant of the Rosary' forming arl uninterrupted concert, which no doubt denetrated the heart of° the holy Mother and that of her divine Son.