When they have rung all their changes to the same monotonous tune, they gene. rally conclude with a solemn intonation in their native tongue :

Eviva! Maria!

Maria! Eviva!

Eviva! Maria! Eviva! Eviva!

Eviva! Maria! E'chi la creo! *

Long live Mary, and He who created her!

LETTER XVIII.

Ceremonies of the Church of Rome.

N the month of October the Pope

IN

performs an Apostolical Visitation, going every day, in state, to assist at High Mass in one or other of the innumerable Temples whose privileged Shrines have given to modern Rome the sirname of la Santa; and his Holiness compliments the Patrons of eight or ten particular Churches by attending on the day of their Anniversaries, when he is borne aloft, on Men's shoulders, through the long drawn Aisles.

Vol. I.

On

On these occasions, little calculated for the edification of Christian humility, Chiaramonti, like his beatified Predecessors, looks down upon the kneeling Crowd, with an eye of sober intoxica

tion.

THE Papal functions at the celebration of Christmas begin, an hour before midnight, at the private Chapel of the Palace on Monte Cavallo.

gram

The Capella Paulina is a paralleloof thirty feet by ninety, with a flat Ceiling. At one end of it is an Altar, overshadowed by a purple Canopy, on one side of which is the Pontifical Throne, on the other a Gallery for the Papal

Papal Band, concealed from view by a screen of trelliswork-Between them are raised seats for the Cardinals, before which are footstools for their Clerical Attendants, whose business it is to adjust the robes of their Eminencies, according to the established ceremonial.

The Sanctum Sanctorum is separated from the lower end of the Chapel, in which Attendants and Spectators are allowed to stand promiscuously, by a low railing, on which are placed six or eight massy Candlesticks, with enormous wax candles, which are always kept burning in time of service, whether it be day or night.

Near

Near the Railing is a raised Pew, latticed round, in which Ladies are permitted to attend, provided they appear in black, and veiled.

Into this Chapel-illuminated with consecrated tapers-the Cardinals in robes of scarlet having been previously seated around the Papal throne—at eleven o'clock on Christmas Eve, in the year 1801, entered Pius VII. arrayed in a scarlet Robe, embroidered with gold, having on his head an episcopal mitre, decked with precious stones-the united voices of a dozen Musicians, ascending at the same moment, in solemn cadence.

When