NAPLES.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XIX, Issue 21, 20 February 1891, Page 20

NAPLES.

(Correspondent of the New York Freeman, December 3,1890.) IAH in this fair city of Naples on my way to tbe Holy Land. I cany, not pass through tbe city without giving you and your readers a short sketch of it and ite environs. It has no rival in Europe, with the exception of Constantinople. It is blessed with a delightful climate, the temperature averaging 60 deg, to 64 deg. Fahrenheit. It rises like an amphitheatre from the shores of the sea to tbe top of the surrounding hills, forming a panorama, the extreme beauty of which never tires the eye. To the east lies Mount Vesuvius, in solitary and awful grandeur, belching forth its white smoke, and sometimes flaming lava down its sides. Bat tbe finest panorama of Naples is seen from the belvidere of St. Manino's Convent and the Castle of St. Elmo, both veiy ancient, founded in 1325 by Charles, Duke of Oalabria. From this charming spot you see all Naples under your feet — the Island of Cappa in the distance, at the entrance of the bay. It is from this enchautins spot that the origin of the Neapolitan saying is : " See Naples and then die." It is one of the most celebrated Carthusian Convents in Italy fpr the beautiful works of art, paintings and sculptures —the works of Bibera, Guido, Beni, and the monks themselves of that day ; a museum, a fine collection of the seventeenth century. The clois'er is considered the finest in the world. Tae porticos, supported by splendid doric columns, are adorned with fine marble statues of the saints. Church and chapels, seven in all', highly decorated sad rich in paintings; the frescoes in the vault, are very fine. Chapter Hall comes next, with seats richly carved and adorned with statuettes. The church-choir vaults are frescoed ; the Crucifixion is a splendid work. The high altar —a handsome balustrade of tbe choicest and richest marbles —is unrivalled in the world for the beauty of design and perfection of execution. The pavement of the church, a fine Mosaic, is by the monk, Presto. There are twelve large circular ornaments, each of one pin of Egyptian granite, aleng the sides of the chapels, which cost 50,000 francs. The Deposition from the Cross, a master piece ; the chapel of St. Bruno ; on the altar St. Bruno communicating the regulations of bis Order to his brethren ; the chapel of St. Januarius, rich in marbles ; on the altar, decorated with precious stones. St. Januarius, kneeling before the Virgin and delivering to her, by means of an angel, Ahe keys of the City of Naples. Obapei of St. Martin.—Altar piece : St. Martin in Bishop's robes, by Hannibal Caruccio; on the side walls, St. Martin, as a warrior, cutting off a pieca ot his cloak to cover a beggar, and the other, the Apparition of Christ to Sr. Martin, showing him the piece of cloth he had cut from his cloak the day before—all very admirable and striking. There are vsry many more chapels in this famous monbstery, but this must suffice. There are upwards of 300 more churches and chapels in this city. I cannot pass over them without a sbort sketch of a few. Cathedral St. Januarius, one of the finest in Naples, was built on the site cf two ancient temples, one dedicated to Apollo and the other to Neptune. Its foundation is attributed to Cbarles L, of Anjou, and his son, Charles 11. It is the form of a Latin cross, a nave and two aisleß. Chapel of St. Januarius on the right, rich in paintings, and silver busts of saint 9, and precious Btones. The silver bust of Sb. Januarius, made in 1306 by Charles 11., is covered with jewellery, the gifts of several princes. Tbe handsome cross in brilliants and sapphires, hanging trom the neck, is the gift of Queen Caroline (1775). The mitre of gilded silver is studded with more than 3.600 precious etones. In this chapel, three times a year, one the first Saturday of May, on.the 19ihof September, and 16th of December, takes place the miraculous liquefaction of the saint' 3 blood. The miracle cenerally takes places in the morning, the faithful pray and sing the litanies ; their faith is touching and may be a true picture of the early Christians. The Church of the Jesa is very grand, as are all Jesuit churches. The Church of San Francisco di Paola (thirteenth ceatury). The interior of this church, built near like the Pantheon of Borne, is alorned with thirty-six Corin'hian columns of marble. The cupola is tbe third in size in all Europe ; the first is St. Peter's in Borne, the second St. Maria del Fiore in Florence. The high altar, taken from the Church of the Holy Apostles, is adorned with jasper and lapis lazzuli ; in the quire, St. Francis of Paola restoring a dead man to life. I must say that £ find these Neapolitans truly religions. Every day masses are celebrated from 5.30 in the morning umil 12 noon, with Benediction in maay of them every evening, and sometimes sermon. And I observed at High Mass on Sunday several priests in the confessional at that late hour.