( 80 ) 

 LETTER FROM RIO DE JANEIRO. 



SUPERSTITIOUS BITES OP CATHOLICISM. 



ON Sunday evening, the 1st of October, I embraced the oppor- 

 tunity of witnessing a religious procession, called " The Procession 

 of the Host." To me it was a great novelty; and as Superstition 

 seems here to have taken up her peculiar abode, I cannot help giving 

 some account of what appeared so strange a mockery of all good 

 sense, and, if I may so speak, such downright prostration of the 

 human understanding. 



At twilight a considerable body of military assembled in the 

 grand square before the palace, forming a large area, into which a 

 host of priests planted themselves, bearing lanterns fixed on long 

 staves. Before them went a band of what may be termed rocket- 

 men, whose office, though they wore no peculiar uniform, was not of 

 little importance, as will presently be seen. The more sanctified of 

 the group, a gang of friars and priests, took their places in the 

 centre, some leading by the hand young girls, dressed and decorated 

 like so many cherubs (and no doubt on the high-road to heaven), 

 with immense gauze wings and a splendid dress, bespangled all over 

 with gold and glittering tinsel ; but they were seemingly greatly 

 encumbered by the weight of their heavenly armour for which 

 reason it was, as I afterwards learned, that they were led by the 

 hand in the procession. In attendance was a band of music which 

 pealed many a solemn anthem. Next followed the sanctified images 

 of the church, consisting of figures of the different saints, in full 

 stature, to about thirty in number, all lighted up and decorated with 

 all that is showy and imposing, in false splendour and gaudy magni- 

 ficence. Among others was peculiarly conspicuous that of the Virgin ; 

 around her head was a most beautiful halo, which shone forth with 

 a radiated and dazzling lustre, and certainly produced rather a 

 pleasing effect. The figure itself was gorgeously bedecked with 

 jewels and other ornaments. Finally was the Host (the Saviour 

 sacramentized), represented under the usual symbols of bread and 

 wine ; the latter in a small silver jug, and both symbols borne toge- 

 ther on a tray of the same material, in the hands of one of the chief 

 dignitaries of the church in full canonicals. Before the said digni- 

 tary was carried, at the same time, a silver censer, ever and anon 

 perfuming his path- way with its essence ; the whole placed under a 

 canopy of the richest silk, purely milk-white, and suspended from the 

 tops of four silver staves, supported by four lusty brethren of the 

 church. Saving and excepting the titter that might arise by a view 

 of its staunch supporters, this was in itself a becoming and appro- 

 priate portion of the spectacle, at which no Christian would seek to 

 point the finger of ridicule, if such sacred symbols were doomed to 

 walk our streets in vulgar promenade. 



After a copious discharge of sky-rockets, the procession began to 

 move, preserving much of the same order it had taken in the square, 

 and preceded by the rocket-men, who kept up a continued discharge. 

 The procession followed the course of all the principal streets of the 



