A LETTER FROM ROME.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXI, Issue 24, 31 March 1893, Page 20

A LETTER FROM ROME.

Septuagesima Sunday, Jannary 29th. 1893. To-DAT the impressive function of beatification was carried out in the Hall of Beatification immediately over the porch uf St Peter'? The servant of God who to-day for the first time was prayed to, in the name of the Church of Chiist, was the contemporary of St Liguori and a member of his congregation. Gerard Majello, whom the Pope on this day declared blessed, was remarkable for a Baintly life and extraordinary supernatural fnvours. Several laree oil printings, which formed part of the decora ion in the fWification Hall, represented miraculous cures, obtained inrouyh his intercession. The ceremony commerced in the mop ing a» 9 o'clock. Solemn High Mass was sung, at which the music was renderfd by a choir of the be6t Roman singers. T c decree of the Sacred Congregation. declaring the Venerable servant of God worthy to be raised to the altar, was read, after which a veil immediately over the nltar was removed, revealing a large painting of Blessed Gerard being taken to Paradise by angels. In the afternoon the ceremonies were fixed for 4 o'clock, but hours before that time the steps leading to the Tatican were crowded with visitors apparently of all nationalities. When the doors were opened at 2 o'clock the surging mats of humanity forced its way through the Swiss Guards stationed within to keep order. Passing tke outer gate several broad antechambers and saircaees had to be traversed before the hall for the ceremony could be reached. It goes without saying that the devout female sex predominated very notably in numbers, and indeed were not behind hand in asserting their Tights to priority of place. The knowledge that the Holy Father would be present at the afternoon service made all eager to obtain a good position from which to see His Holiness. The arrangements in the hall were such as gave every one present an opportunity of seeing L-joXIII. In the cent re from entrance to sanctuary was a railed-off passage, on one side of which were the men, on the other the women. On either si le were balconies similar to boxes in assembly halls, rising tier upoa tier. I was fortunate enough to have a ticket for one of the balconies directly over the sanctuary, for which kindness I am endebted to the Fathers of the Church St Maria in Via Merulaaa. At f our o'clock a shout from the end of the Hall at the entrance anne u'need the approach of the Pope. On came the grand procession throjgh the central passage— students of the Papal Coilegr, M»nsignors in attendance at the Vatican, members of tha Order of St Alpbonsus, bishops from vaiious places (amongst whom were three sons of St Liguori), cardinals to the number of fifteen or sxteen, ambassadors from the various European powers, officers and guards of the Papal soldiers, etc. As soon as Leoentrrel the door of the b-ill a deafening sh .ut arose upon the air. '• Vwa Leone Papa c lic\' rang out loud and clear. Hand-clapping at once became contagious. Young and old, cleric and lay, high and low— all joined in as magnificent a tribute of love and devo'ion to the Sovereign Pontiff as ever gre:teti monarch on his throne. Nir w-is the demonstration limitei by difference of creed. A vast number of Protestants of v inous denomiaa'ions were present, and pined as heartily in the ovatioa as the subjects of the Pope. The expressions of veneration and respect that I heard afterwards from numbers of Pro estants who had been at the ceremony Bhowed me what an extraordinary bold he h.is upon those who are not of the household of the fauh. la that procession Lao walked with astonishing firmness. He | has a gracefuland elastic gait, and but for the slight stoop forward from the shoulders one would fijd it impossible to believe that the noble figure that so gracefully passed up the building, bowing to those on either side, and acknowledging with a most benignant smile their vivas, was far beyond the prime of life. Arrived in front of the altar, L -o knelt down on a prle clieu prtpared for him, and the recitation of the R>sary commenced. During the devotions the Cardin ils knelt in line on the Gospel side. Amongst them I noticed the new'y created Cardinal Primate of all Ireland, Dr Logue, on whose right was Cardinal Persico, whilst at his left knelt Cardinal Vaughan of Westminster. On the Epistle Bide were the bishops in corresponding line, Most Rev Dr MacDmald of Aberdeen, with his two religious brethren, and Dr Cliff jr i of Clifton, being the only ones I could recognise). The Rosary being finished, the Most Holy Sacrament was exposed. Th» incensation was performed by the Holy Father, who walked with firm Btep from his prle dleu, placed about a dczen paces from the front. After the " O Salutaris " the hymn " late Confessor " was sung in it, masterly style to music specially set in bono-ir of the newly beatified. Benediction waß given by one of the Cardinals, assisted by deacon and Bub-deacon in superb vestments. Immediately after Benediction the customary presents were handed to the Holy Father, viz,— a relic of the newly beatified in a costly reliquary, a huge bouquet of flowers, etc, etc.

A number of presentations of various ecclesiastics and lay peopl«i* to the Pope occupied a few minutes .tfter, when Leo prepared to walk back in procecsion. His first step was the signal for a fresh outburst of vivas and cheers, which continued with increasing vo'utne till, as the Pontiff passed out at the door way, it rose to a perfect hurricane of wild enthusiatm. I may mention that in connection with this ceremony, I witnessed an extraordinary, not to say miraculous, escape fiona a sudden tnd. A mm, lighting soma candles, standing sorru fort} five feet on a Ndder, over-balance I himself, and fell, lalder aad all, with an awful cr.>sh All cxp e'ed to hear that tha po.rfello* was taken np hfelcs-, bu 1 . won ierful to relate be escapj-i without injury to life or 'irab, n.me tho worse for his fall, but frightenel and a little bruised. Wbt n we heard of his wonderful c cape, an old Italian Father by my si.l«> remarked, " frit-re I the c 1 is the first miracle for Blessed Gerald '« canonization." J. ON.