PREFACE.

HIS volume treats of the ceremonies in the Vatican, commemorative of the august mysteries of the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of our Lord. This is a subject so

momentous as to engross the deepest interest of the millions of the faithful throughout the world. The account of the congested multitudes who annually congregate to assist at these solemn functions, afford a convincing, tangible proof of the universality of Holy Church, and Rome is prominently presented as the centre of Christian unity, teaching all nations the one dogma and the one faith, and they discovering in her the essential requisites for that unity-certainty and authority. The statistics of Rome under the Popes, more especially those appertaining to her political economy, to her educational establishments, and charitable institutions, and those for the provision of the poor, are also treated of, and may, at some subsequent time, render this volume of more than ordinary consideration. There are in these evil days statesmen who advocate the deordination of a Church subject in her spiritual economy and in the appointment of her ministers to the enactments and jurisprudence of the secular power, and thus presume to domineer over Christian society. There are two societies-secular and religious. Christ gave distinct commissions to each. To one, "Give to Caesar

what belongs to Caesar": to the other, "Teach all nations". No society can exist without authority. The Church has ever insisted on the submission due to the secular authority, teaching that "all power is from God". She has ever vindicated her own. She has ever proclaimed that her teaching, her ministry, her legislation, and her judgments, are independent of the authority of all secular societies. The two societies are distinct, but should never be be separated. Modern irreligious political theorists and statesmen aspire to raise their kingdoms above their dependence on the Church, and their subjection to her laws, that is, they desire to take their kingdoms out of the Church, in which God placed them to consecrate and to save them. They desire to separate nature from grace, that she may set up an unholy dynasty for herself. This they proclaim as liberty!-ignoring the maxim of God's holy word, "Ubi Spiritus Domini ibi liberatas !" This is the doctrine of Caesarism-an anti-Christian system which is the manifestation of a world departing from Christianity, and which employs the civil power as an instrument to persecute the Christian Church, and which aspires to the supremacy of the civil above the spiritual jurisdiction. The very

essence of this assumption of power is absolute and exclusive sovereignty over temporal and spiritual. It ignores all laws but those enacted by itself. It is the supreme arbitrator of right and wrong, sacred and profane. It therefore excludes all legislation by God, and tolerates no jurisdiction above its own,

which is entirely grounded on human will. This unholy system was exemplified in the conduct of Herod, who could not tolerate the reign of Christ, and therefore sought his death by the massacre of the Holy Innocents. This was quite consistent with the wicked spirit of Caesarism. The reign of Christ and Caesarism are so antagonistic, that there can be no Caesarism where Christ reigns. If from the seed those nations have sown they should hereafter reap a harvest of anarchy, revolution, and red communism, of financial and social destruction, this volume may present a record which shall arraign them to their confusion. It will institute a contrast which shall vindicate the policy of Rome, and amidst the shipwrecked debris of their shattered dynasties, point to the rock and secure haven from which they drifted-the citadel of truth-the key-stone of the arch, and the foundation upon which were erected social order, the loyalty of subjects, and the stability of empires. Under the head of Education, the former penalties on Catholic education in Ireland, the past wrongs, hopes, and disappointments, and the present claims and rights of the Catholics of Ireland to a charter and financial endowment for a Catholic University, are taken into consideration. The description of the ceremonies is here associated with a history of, and their contact with, the elegant arts and sciences. The alliance will lend additional interest to the man of taste and polite literature, and will present nothing incongruous to the man of faith and piety. Religion has ever patronized

the arts and sciences-she has utilized them, and enlisted them in her service. Morals and mind are inseparably associated. The Church teaches there is a twofold knowledge-human and divine. Though she teaches truths elevated above the comprehension of reason, she never teaches what is contradictory to reason. Faith and reason lend to each other mutual assistance. Reason aids in demonstrating the foundations of faith, and faith illuminates reason in the science of things supernatural and divine, and in their study shields her from errors, and wandering from truth. Science comes from God, and, guided by religion, both lead back again to the great centre of all truth and religion, from which they emanated. Science is an intellectual sun that reveals to us the wonders of creation, which prove the existence, the wisdom, and omnipotence of God. Science is a witness, an apostle of religion, that vindicates its ministry by signs and wonders. All the beauty of the fine arts, and all scientific knowledge, are merely scintillations reflecting additional gleams of His loveliness and wisdom on our souls. Religion, the arts, and sciences, are portions of the same nutritious fruit united and growing from the same stem, and blending their delicious juices around the one heart.

"Like to a double cherry seeming parted,
But yet an union in partition;

Two loving berries moulded in one stem,

With two seeming bodies, but one heart”.

HOLY WEEK

IN

THE VATICAN.

Instructions for Visitors to Rome.

ROUTE TO ROME.

HE most picturesque, and least expensive route from these countries to Rome, is by Dover and Calais, or by Folkestone and Boulogne to Paristhence to Macon, Culoz, St. Michel, by the pass

of Mont Cenis, to Susa, Turin, Florence, Bologna, to Rome. If the traveller wish to take the sea route from France, Marseilles is the port of embarkation, whence, if the ship sail direct, he may reach Civita Vecchia in about thirty-two hours, and Rome in two hours after. If the ship take the coast passage, she usually occupies two days on the voyage, including delays in the ports of Genoa and Leghorn.

MONEY.

The most convenient and the most secure mode of conveying money is by letters of credit, drawn by some of the Banks of this country on some of the Roman Banks, or by a seven day bill on London: or by circular notes, or by circular letter, or by a draft direct on Rome. The principal banks in Rome are the Roman Bank, the banks of Messrs. Torlonia and Co., Messrs. Plowden, Cholmley, and Co., Messrs. Spada, Flamini, and Co., Messrs. Maquay, Pakenham, and Co., Piazza di Spagna, Messrs. Macbean and Co., Corso, Messrs. Freeborn and Co., Via Condotti.