MASS IN THE ROMAN COLISEUM.

New Zealand Tablet, 23 October 1919, Page 45

MASS IN THE ROMAN COLISEUM.

On the very site where once Christians were offered as the prey of wild beasts to amuse the Roman populace, in tho Roman Coliseum where Caesar sacrificed the faithful to satisfy a pagan lust, a Christian service has at last been held. It was celebrated recently in memory of the boy scouts of the Italian army, who had done messenger service at the Front and were killed in action. The altar used for the service was one which had been carried by the Italian armies through many campaigns in the Alps and was placed in the west end of the Coliseum. The service was presided over by Monsignor Bartolomasi, who held the rank of General in the Italian army, being tho chief chaplain to the Italian forces. The immense ruin of pagan days was filled with people. Detachments of boy scouts occupied the central part of the building, a place in pagan days used for the arena. The scouts were in their uniforms and carried rifles instead of tho sword and spear of the ancient Roman gladiator. After the Mass, Monsignor Bartolomasi delivered a stirring sermon, in which he drew attention to the change in human thought which was able, to convert this pagan amphitheatre into a Christian temple.