THE MONTH OF MARY. THE HOLY HOUSE OF NAZARETH.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXI, Issue 4, 25 May 1894, Page 9

THE MONTH OF MARY. THE HOLY HOUSE OF NAZARETH.

(From the Air Maria )

About Bixty miles north of Jerusalem lies Na^reth, oncn a city, but now a poor ana wretctieu village ; its small ana rougtily ouui uuutwa stand in scattered groups on the declivity and at the foot of a mo u ' tain which looks frownin^y down upon th^m The population, con sisting of Catnolicp, Greek schismatics, and Turks, is reckoned *l 3000, of which the Catholics form the majority.

The tourist can still see at Nazireth many objects which recall to mind various passages in the life of our divine Lord and his blessed Mother; but the most interesting religious monument, the most authentic, and the one most deserving of attention is the little house forever to be blessed, in which Mary and Joseph lived, and in which was wrought the ineffable mystery of mercy and salvation—the Incarnation of the Son of God,

In tbe time of our Saviour the poorer class of inhabitants at Nazareth built their houses some distance up the mountain, and on the eide farthest from the high road ; the ruins of some of them may be seen at the present day. They were very limited, and pßrtly hollowed out of the rock. In front was a little mom built of masonry • the floor of this apartment was on a level with the floor of the cave behind it. Such was tbe dwelling of Mary and Joseph. The front chamber was oblong in shape, and measured 29£ feet long by 124 feet wide ; its height was 13±feet, and the walls were 14 inches thick. This is the part of the building that was carried into Dalmatia by angels towards the clobo of the thirteenth century, and some years afterwards to Loreto, in the March of Ancona. It is known tbe world over as the Holy House of Loret >.

A descent of three or four steps leads from the front chamber into the grotto, which is 16 feet long, 10 feet wide, and from 9 to 10 feet high. At the extremety are two small apartments, one of whish it is said, served as an oratory for the humblest and holiest of virgins'. The two, taken together, measure about 20 feet in length and 10 feet in breadth ; a little flight of stairs, in a smail opening, forma a com* munication between them. Their appearance indicates an antiquity sufficient to justify what tradition says of them, and their position inclines us to believe what is said about the purpose to which they were formerly devoted. '

The House of Nazareth was transformed into a chapel in the earliest days of Christianity, and in the fourth century 8t Helena built over it one of the most magnificent churches in the Kaat. A column, fixed in the middle of the door leading into the grotto marked the supposed spot on which Gabriel Btood while saying tha " Ace" ; and about one yard farther in stood another pillar, indicating the place where knelt the Handmaid of the Lord while receiving the message of her heavenly visitor. These two columns were of gray marble and reached to the ceiling. Each measured 20 inches in diameter. As the one in ihe door made the passage somewhat narrow an cpenicg was cut on one side, and finished cff with white marble' Oa the 25th of March, 1325, St Louis, the greatest and moat virtuous of the Irings of France, came to receive Holy Communion at the foot of an altar erected around these two pillars. "He arrived," Bays the historian, '• at Cana of Galilee, on the vigil of the Annunciation, wearing a rough hair-shirt ; that same day he made the ascent of Mount Thabor, «nd thence proceeded to Nazareth. The moment this latter appeared in view, he descended from his horse, fell upon his knees, and adored in the distance the sacred place in which wai wrought the great mystery of man's redemption. Then rißing. his Majesty walked barefoot to the Holy House, although he wae greatly fatigued and very weak, having tasted nothing all day bat a little bread and water '" Next day he assisted at Mass and Vespers, and received the Sacred Body of our Lord from the hands of the delegate who on this occasion delivered a most touching discourse • so that' according to the account of the King's confessor, from which we have tiken these details, one may say never since the mystery of the Incarnation was ficcomplished at Nazareth, was God so honoured by devotion and edification as he was on that day. About forty years afterwards the infidels, having taken possession of the whole of Palatine, destroyed the church bailt by St Helena. The Christians later on rebuilt it in parf, and added to it a monastery in which pilgrims were lodged. Althougn the sacred edifice has been many times demolished, the convent torn down, the religious outraged and expelled, yet me Holy house has always escaped destruction. Of 'he church built by St Helena there remains only a portion and that in ruins ; it serves, however, to give some idea of its former grandeur. The first of the two columns remains intact ; the second has crumbled beneath the hammers of wretches who thought to find a mine of treasures within it. A portion of it may Btill be seen, near the sanctuary, suspended from the ceiling. Toe preseDt monastery is grand, spacioup, and strongly bailt. It is occupied by the Franciecans. The church which encloses the Holy Housb is itself inclosed by the monastery. At the time of its erection the tyrrany of the Turkish governors did not permit it to be completed ; it is, however, very beautiful, and kept in tbe neatest order, A pas' sage of whita marble steps l««ds into the grotto, where lamps arc continually burning. On a slab, also of marble, are inscribed tbe memorable words : ' Here the Word was made flesh. " Iv the first of the two small chambers mentioned above there is an altar, over which hangs a beautiful picture of the Holy Family bearing the inscription, Hie erat subditus Mis — "Here he was subject to them." On tha site where formerly stood the house of Loreto there are at present two altars— one at the left and tho other at the right of the steps that lead down into the grotto, or excavation. Images of ths Blessed Virgin and her sweet name are met with at every step in the church itself. Not a flower culled by Catholic hands that is not placed upon her altar as an offering of love and homage. The walls are everywhere full of inscriptions in her honour, and over each door are written the words Aye Maria.