A TRIP THROUGH SPAIN

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXVI, Issue 19, 15 September 1898, Page 3

A TRIP THROUGH SPAIN

LECTURE BY FATHER MAHONEY.

The following timely and interesting account of a trip through Spain formed the subject of a lecture delivered recently by Father Mahoney to the members of the Catholic Literary Society, Auckland :—: —

Owing to the short time I spent in Spain (said Father Mahoney) I do not for a moment presume to be an authority on the country in any respect, though were I to follow the example of so many globetrotters, I should feel myself fully competent to be so, aud to write a book on fa pain and the Spaniards?. You know that it has been considered the correct thing to do so by many distinguished travellers in New Zealand, some of whom have spent no less than a fortnight in the Colony, and have forthwith published a book on New Zealand and handed down to posterity their views and impressions of us. You have, perhaps, read their glowing descriptions of places they never saw, their contempt for miserable spots they never visited, their fulsome praise of people they never met, and their strong condemnation of the vices of people who never existed. lam led to make these remarks apropos of the conduct of a newspaper scribbler who went to England last year in order to write up the events in connection with the Queen's Jubilee. While in Europe and elsewhere, he sent out to his paper a series, of letters supposed to describe the places he visited and the people he mot. Now, he went to England by exactly the same route as I did, and only eight months later. The first place at which the steamer calls after leaving New Zealand ia Monte Video. It was here that I first became acquainted with a Spanish people. I had the pleasure of landing there on the feast of Corpus Christi — a public holiday — and saw the people in their gayest attire. I must say that I was agreeably surprised to find the streets full of most respectably dressed people, the soft Spanish features of course predominating. I did not see anywhere, even at the waterside, any ruffianly looking or disorderly persons. However, this is what the newspaper man abroad saw eight months later. He said that the streets were full of the most ruffianly looking characters ; still I would not mind that as it was no doubt a case of seeing others as others see us, but he went on to say in his letter that as far as he could see (/>., with the eyes of bigotry and prejudice) the whole time of the people seemed to be divided between hatching plots in the street, and reciting ' Paters and Ayes 'in the churches. Now there happened to have been a slight disturbance in Monte Video a short time previously, and so our traveller had visions of plots everywhere. He had got his information from somebody at one of the clubs, who no doubt was having some fun at his visitor's expense. But this is a degression, and I must hasten to tell you all I know about Spain, glorious

old Spain, the land of chivalry and— garlic. I went down the whole length of the country from Irun in the extreme North, to Algeciras on the Bay of Gibraltar. Irun is the first station on the Spanish frontier after crossing from France. It is only a short distance from SAN SEBASTIAN, one of the most fashionable watering places in Spain, the place where the Royal Family spend the summer months at their beautiful palace of Miramar, overlooking the wild waters of the Bay of Biscay. San Sebastian is a beautiful spot in the picturesque Basque country. From San Sebastian I went on to BURGOS through the country of | the Pyrenees. The scenery of this northern part of Spain surpasses that of sunny Andalusia. The railway runs through most charming country, flanked on every side by the fir clad slopes of the Pyrenees. Hill and valley alternate, and as the train emerges from one or other of the numerous tunnels, there bursts upon the sight as lovely a view of picturesque country as is to be seen anywhere, the deep green of the pasturage with the blue waters of the clear valley stream wending its way along, and near its banks the somewhat nondescript village church of red brick and tiles, with its inevitable twin belfry, present a picture of rural peace and contentment that is not surpassed anywhere. The Spanish country parish churches seem to have been all built from the same plans and specifications. They are all of plain red brick, with red tiled roofs and a double tower with two belfries. The great reason why I went to Burgos was to see its famous cathedral, of which I had heard so often and so much. Burgos is a quaint medieval town, the ancient capital of Old Castile. It is not in the best of repair, and there is not a great deal to be seen there, except its magnificent cathedral of the early pointed Gothic, with its twin-spired western fascade, its fifteen chapels and forty-four altars and is so richly decorated within and without that it is certainly one of the richest gems of Gothic architecture that exist. From Burgos I went on to MADRID, by way of Valladolid and Escorial, a tedious journey of ten hoars and through rather dismal country. I must say that the greater part of New Castile is not fascinating country. It does not possess the picturesque beauty of Biscay, and Madrid is built on what is little better than a sandy plain. It is built on that miserable little river the Manzanares, and was chosen by Philip 11. as the capital of Spain on account of its central position, as it is in reality in the very centre of the country. Madrid is not a very interesting place, as it has neither the beauty nor the antiquity of most of the other capitals of Europe to commend it. There are two fine squares, the Plaza Mayor, and the Puerta del Sol, as well as the Prado, the Rotten Row of Madrid, a fine and fashionable drive two miles long. Madrid contains several fine buildings. The churches are mostly built in the Italian style. But the finest of all its buildings are undoubtedly the Royal Palace and the Museum. The latter is, in fact, not a museum at all but a picture gallery, and is one of the finest in the world, for it contains none but masterpieces of most of the great painters of Europe, the Spanish school of course predominating. On the walls are to be seen the most famous pictures by Murillo, Zurbaran, Valasquez and Ribera pourtraying the human form divine from the Spanish point of beauty, but 1 think that the general harmony of the collection is marred by admitting so many of those coarse Flemish types of Peter Paul Rubens. I took a night train from Madrid to CORDOVA as there is not much to be seen in the way of scenery on the route. The train arrived at 6 o'clock in the morning at Cordova, the ancient capital of the Moorish kindgdom. Cordova is only a shadow of its former self. It is one of the decadent cities of Spain. It is paid that under Abdurrhanian I. it contained one million inhabitants, but now the number is reduced to about 50,000. But this old Moorish city by the banks of the Guadalquiver possesses an attraction that is unique of ita kind, and that attraction is its wonderful cathedral. This cathedral is one of the few remnants of Moorish times, for it is the only mosque existing in Spain. It is said that when Cordova was afc the zenith of its power it contained no less than GOO large mosques and 8000 smaller ores, and of all these, but this one solitary specimen has escaped destruction. It was commenced in the year 78H, and took nearly ten years to build, and together with its outer court and fountains covers an area of four acres. It is the most impressive building I was ever in. It impressed me in fact more than St. Peter's at Rome, and appears to be move extensive. Upon entering the door you are struck at once with the rows upon rows of beautiful symmetrical columns, of marble, jaspar, and porphyry. There are over 800 of them all surmounted with the peculiar horseshoe arch that is such a feature of Moorish architecture. These columns are so erected as to form avenues or lanes running at right angles to each other, and it is this geometrical arrangement that so much enhances the effect. Against one of the walls is still to be seen in all its perfection the Mihrab or Holy of Holies of the Mahometans, facing Mecca, of course. It is a most gorgeously decorated cell or chamber, in which was kept the Koran. The ceiling is formed of a single block of the purest white marble in tbe form of a shell. In the centre of this strange building is the choir, which was erected in the 16th century, 300 years after it had been taken from the Moors. It looks just like as if a Gothic church had been placed in the midst of the Mosque. It seems highly incongruous but yet it is the only thing to remind you that you are in a Christian temple, for here are situated the Capella Mayor or sanctuary with its high altar and tabernacle, and the choir proper with its magnificently carved oaken stalls. I consider that the mosque of Cordova alone is worth going to Spain to see, and I took an especial pleasure in visiting it, for just five years previously I had had the melancholy privilege of standing in the mosque of St. Sophia at Constantinople, and when I

was there and looked around me and saw the only half obliterated emblems of my faith, as I thought of the centuries past when the Agios ho Theos of the Greeks was worshipped there, and when I a priest of the same ancient faith that once was enthroned in that v .which had so often resounded to the plaintive notes of the thnste eleison was constrained to listen to that perennial lie daily uttered by infidel throats, Mahomet ragoul Allah (Mahomet is the prophet of God), and when I was obliged to put on sandals before I would be allowed enter that profaned and desecrated abode of the Most High, oh, how great reason had I to feel sorrowful that that glorious church had been so humbled in the sight of Christendom as to become the temple of the False Prophet ! But now the scene was changed. On the spot where I stood the walls had long since ceased to echo with the cruel tones of the gospel of the sword • the voice of Islam had been stilled let us hope for ever, and in its place I heard the Chritte eleison of St. Sophia resounding through that marble grove, for High Mass was being celebrated in the heart of that magnificent fane, where for so many years had been taught the sensuous faith of Al Koran. (Concluded in our next.~)

assisted by a large number of young ladies, whose courteey and attention added greatly to the enjoyment of those present. Tea at last being over, willing hands soon made the hall ready for the musical portion of the entertainment, which took the form of the cantata ' St. Cecilia's Day.' This was beautifully rendered by the members of St. Mary's Choir, assisted by a few friends, and accompanied by a strong orchestra, under the conductorship of An Hol(ien - The soloa were entrusted to Mrs. Lloyd and Mr. A. C. Lennard, both of whom acquitted then, selves with credit The Very Rev Father Kirk thanked the members of the. choir their friends who assisted them, and the orchestra for the gr^at' pains they had taken to prepare the cantata, and also <Ul thoxe who helped to make the tea the great success it was. Th« appUuse which greeted the Very Rev. Father showed how greatly he is esteemed not only by his own congregation, but by those outside the Church. A very enjoyable evening was brought to a close shortly before ten o clock by the singing of the National Anthem, and it seemed to be the wish of everyone, on departing, th><t the congregation of St. Mary s would make the soiree an annual affair.

50ft x 22ft, will be constructed of wood on a concrete foundation. The height of the walls up to the roof, which will be of Gothic form, will' be 12ft. The church will have a porch and belfry. Besides the vestry windows there will be three windows on each side, and one large window over the altar. The church, which will probably be wainscotted within, is calculated to comfortably seat about 200 persons.

A number of ladies in St. Mary's parish are making 1 great efforts in connection with a grand bazaar which will take place about Christmas time for parochial purposes. In this work the Sisters of Mercy are also taking a very active part.