THE AMERICAN PILGRIMAGE ARRIVES IN ROME.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XVII, Issue 8, 14 June 1889, Page 11

THE AMERICAN PILGRIMAGE ARRIVES IN ROME.

(Special correspondent of the Pilot.)

Rome, March 15 A section of the American pilgrimage to the Holy Land and other shrines arrived in Rome last night ; the remainder is expected here to-night. The Commission of the Circolo di 8. Pietro will be at the disposition of the pilgrims, assisting them in all the knowledge necessary to render their stay in Rome profitable in a spiritual point of view. Besides, this same Commission will invite the members of the pilgrimage to be present at several meetings to oe held io their honour in the rooms of the Circolo di S. Pietro, at the Sinibaldi Palace.

The total number of pilgrims is not 230, as a newspaper published at Rome announced this morning, but 107. The directors of this pilgrimage have telegraphed beforehand to the Father-General of the Franciscan Order, and to Mgr. O'Oonnell, rector of the American College. It is not yet certain that they will be received in that sort of solemn audience in which Ihe Holy Father listeos to ai address read by one of the members in the name of all, and to which he replies in a form? 1 discourse. There is a probability that their reception will be more friendly — as it may be described — and lesi formal ; that is to say, it is thought that the Pontiff, instead of listening and replying to a formal address, will receive each member of the pilgrimage individually, and address to him or her a few affectionate words, terminating with a special benediction. Tnis kind of reception, if in be that adopted, as is dow anticipated by those ia a position to know, will be the more satisfactory.

When tbc first American pilgrimage'came to Rome in June, 1874 they assisted at Mass in the recently disinterred church of Ban Petronilla, which had just then been brought to light through the labours of the Commendatore Dj Rossi, in the Catacombß. The pilgrims from America to-iay may assist at Mas* in the newly discoverel residence of the saintly soldier martyrs, SS. John and Paul, who wero put to death under Julian the Apostate in this very bous\ This link between the Christianity of the fourth century and that of the nineteenth has been brought to light, as I have already related in the Pilot, by the Very Rev. Father Germano, of the Passionists.

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