ANCIENT TABERNACLE FOR ST. PATRICK'S, ROME.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XIX, Issue 48, 4 September 1891, Page 11

ANCIENT TABERNACLE FOR ST. PATRICK'S, ROME.

(Special correspondent of the Pilot)

In the Pilot of May 31, 1891, I related that at the Conference of Christian Arcbwology, held March 30 previously, CommandAtore Da Boesi exhibited the photograph of an altar tabernacle existing in the abandoned church of St Stephen, near Fiano Romano, in the region of the Capenati, about twelve miles from Borne. I then noted that this was not, as might at first be supposed, a tabernacle for the Blessed Sacrament, but a canopy supported on four columns, rising above the high altar, and all formed of marble, such as may be seen in the Roman basilicas. Commendatora De Bossi, at th« Conference of Christian Archasology referred to, suggested to me that this would be a suitable altar-canopy for the new church of St Patrick at Rome, and that Prior Glynn's attention should be called to it, which was accordingly done. The Cardinal-Vicar recommended its purchane, and shortly after, when it was known that agents from the South Kensington Museum sought to obtain it, there was a feeling in Home that it would be a pity if it were removed, seeing how admirably it was fitted for a church of the style of construction of St Patrick's, and also for the sake of its rare perfection a3 a work of nit. This tabernacle has just been purchased by the Very Rev. Prior Glynn, 0.8. A., and is now in course of erection in the Provisional Church of St Patrick, opened for service on St. Patrick's D*y, by the Archbishop of Dublin, as already related in these columns. Oa Monday evening last, June 8, the Commendatore De Rossi delivered a lecture at St. Patrick's, before a most Belect auditory, on the tabernacle of St. Stephen in Fiano Romano. The tabernacle, which was the subject of De Rossi's lecture, existed in the ruined Church of St. Stefano, near Fiano Romano, and had been bought, with the lands annexed to it, after the sequestration of the place by the Italian Government, by Dr. Vincenzo Montenove9i\ and sold by him to Prior Glynn, whose transaction was not only permitted, but greatly encouragel by the Cardinal Vicar and other ecclesiastical authorities in Rome. There is no complete and uraltered specimen of such form of tabernacle in Rome but this on". It preserves the very ancient type of an epistyle of architrave supported on four columns, upon which is raised a band ia marble inlaid with mosaics and enamel. Over this rises a double order of colonnettes, which support the marble covering or roof of the whole co; - truction — this latter part being of pyramidal form ; and near the

summit it has another base supporting other colonnettes, upon which another smaller pyramid rises, the whole being crowned by a marble globe richly and brightly ornamented with mosaics of enamel and various coloured marbles. T o rarly Chiistianp, according to Martigny, called this construction a cibonum, it being a taldacchino, or cinopy, sustained by four, or even six columns, which covered the altars of basilicas, and much more r rely those of the small churches, which are met with in the catacombs. The ciborium was, and occasionally is still, of semispheric A form, arched upon its four sides, presenting the appearance of a email temple within a greater one. It was often adorned with flowers, and in the early Church, especially in tho East, veils were hung f om the architrave enclosing the altar, opened during the OonBeciatiun and Elevation. Tie importance of the tabernacle or ciborium of St. Patrick's was dwelt upon by De Rossi. In re'ating the history and development of such an ornament and mark of respect to the altar which it sheltered, De Rossi referred the origin of the tabernacle in Christian worship to the catacombs, where the tomb of the martyr was the altar— whence the term arcosolium, ; — and then ho rtfened to the celebrated Lataran tabernacle, with its architrave of silver, on which s'ood the statues of the Saviour and the Twelve Apostles, likewise in silver, which were afterwards taken by Alaric the Goth in the sack of Rome, A D. 410, and renewed by the Emperor Valeotinian 111., who reigned from 425 to 455. In the progress of time the style of thesj tabernacles changed, and the extent of the change may be understood on comparing the ancient specimens existing in Bolsena, a: Ravenna, and in the Museum if Perugia, with those of later date. The rise of a group of artists, form jd of sever \\ families known as marble-workers, brought this style of art ta its perfection. They m;de, with exquisite taste and unapproachable elegance and lightness, * series of tabernacles for the ancient churches of Borne and the towns in the surrounding country. Unhappily there are but few specimens of their work now remaiuing untouched by the hand of that destroyer known as the " restorer." Amoug,t these few is the tabernacle for St. Patrick's, the work of the School of Roman marulo-cuitera, Nicola and his sms Giovanni and Guittone. The tabernacle w-is made A,D. 1168, and is consequently 723 years old I Beneath ihe aUar table which this old tabernacle sheltered was a cinerary urn of the period of the Roman Empire, adopted as a receptacle for the relics. Its former Pagan inscription had been carefully erased ; and no Christian inscription relating to the raltc3 was placed on it ; nor was there even a pittacium, or label, found within the urn, as is so frequently the case in the receptacle for relics in early altars. A small box, with a sliding lid, all cut out of one piece of wood, was found within this urn. This box contained minute fragments of human bones, tiny pieces of cloth, and little bits of stones and terra-cotta, together with three rude pectoral crosses of bronze, two eotire and made to contain relics, and one broken and flat without aay arrangement for relics. The artistio rudones9 and poverty of material of tbe>3 crosiu am remarkabK They bear incised images coarsely cut, with, in some caws, the Greek nam^s of the s lints represented, oni having ths names of Georgius and Paulus. These crosses, with the box in which thay were found, were given by Doctor Montenovtsi to Commendatory De Rossi, who presented them to the Christian Muteum in the Tatican Library, where they may be seen by any one who has the rare curiosity to visit thdt place with a dssire of study. The Cardinal Vicar has made known that the relics found here will be restored to their place bsneath this tabernacle in the new altar which it will shelter and adorn. It ia needless to say that Cardinal Parocchi, Mgr. Vaughan, and most of those present congratulated Prior Glynn on the acquisition of this remarkable monument of early Christianity, and thanked the great master of Christian archaeology who had, as the Cardiaal said, brought to bear upon its illustration " a fountain of most interesting and recoadite knowledge."