1 824.J Miracles of the 



tliought of for it. Reasonably enough, 

 no work of nnracles is requisite to 

 make a martyr a saint. 



As soon as the college already 

 spoken of, has Satisfied itself with 

 grounds for a report, a very full draft 

 of specifications is prepared for the 

 consideration and final judgment of 

 the cardinals. A consistory is then 

 convoked by the popo, and its appro- 

 lation of such and such miracles, of so 

 and so, moved and seconded, and car- 

 ried by a plurality of voices. These 

 assemblies are rather scrupulous of the 

 number of miraculous deeds they de- 

 clare. For four c.tnonisations, of 

 •which I have just now overlooked the 

 accounts, I find that for the first, the 

 college passed eight miracles for ra- 

 tification, out of which the consistory 

 confirmed but two; for the second, 

 there were eight also proposed, and 

 but two approved ; the third obtained 

 two out of nine ; and the fourtli car- 

 ried two out of five. A bill! next is- 

 sues from the proi)er office, stating the 

 result of the niccting; and after due 

 .solicitation, the master of the ceremo- 

 nies is authorised by his holiness to 

 collect a consistory for the purpose of 

 considering the special question of 

 canonisation. After the motion has 

 in the usual manner been made, se- 

 conded, and carried, the pontiff enters, 

 .seats himself at the head of the meet- 

 ing, and is formally iietilioncd to con- 

 firm the vole just passed: his answer, 

 of course affirmative, is read by his 

 ."Secretary. Ijut perhaps it were as well 

 to be a little tncie particular. It should 

 be observed, tliat not old}' the cardi- 

 nals are present at these consistories ; 

 it is necessary for all the bishops, 

 patriarchs, and a few civil officers in 

 Rome, to attend, and stale individually 

 their opinions on the jjroposed subject. 

 Absent cardinals too, are allowed to 

 vole by proxy. Each member writes 

 his vote on a slip of paper, and de- 

 livers it according to the seniority of 

 liis rank to the secretary of the holy 

 rituals. As soon as these papers are 

 collected, the pope is introduced ; and, 

 at his ifistanee, every meml)er, in the 

 rotation oi his order, stands u]), un- 

 covers his head, bows first to the pope, 

 and then to the assembly; briclly de- 

 clares the purport of his vole, bows 

 again tu the popo and assembly, and 

 is followed by another. When the 

 last speaker tin's con(^luded, all rise 

 and stand nncovcrcil in their i)laces, 

 while lim holiness, as a member of the 



Romish Church. 



29 



consistory, votes. Then comes the 

 formal petition and secretary's an- 

 swer, already spoken of. Of the many 

 masses connected with every subject 

 that are daily said about this time, the 

 indulgences that are proposed to pe- 

 nitent sinners, the fasts that are pro- 

 claimed, and the confessions and com- 

 munications that are made, it is hero 

 unnecessary to enlarge on, because 

 they are unessential and merely con- 

 ditional ceremonies. It is curious 

 that years are generally consumed 

 before the business is brought down 

 to the stage we have now arrived at: 

 in truth, a canonisation seems to be 

 something as snakelike and dull in its 

 process as a suit in our chancery. 



But, however the proceedings al- 

 ready mentioned may have quickened 

 attention and enlivened interest, they 

 are, one and all, utterly incomparable 

 for dill'use variety of pomp, and ex- 

 treme formality of ceremony, with the 

 occurrences on the day appointed by 

 the pope for the fir.it solemn invoca- 

 tion of tlie new saint. All that Rome 

 holds siiowy, or can boast rcspectalde, 

 is turned to its greatest account on 

 that day. Every convent sends forth 

 its train of vestal nuns, and each mo- 

 nastery its file of monks, all in the 

 most dressy haliits of their respective 

 orders; the stieets are lined liy the 

 police and soldiery of the dilfcrent 

 countries, which compose the garri- 

 .son. Priests, bishops, cardinals, no- 

 bles, ambassadors, and the pupe him- 

 self, in his supreme estate, collect to- 

 gether to crowd the tiiumph and 

 heighlen its parade. As there are 

 few in Rom.e who do not assist in the 

 long association, we shall not stop to 

 particidarize the sucression in whicli 

 they march from the Vatican to tiic 

 church. Each pcrscai carries a burn- 

 ing taper ; and among the first objects 

 to attract attention, arc the saint's 

 standard, some halfdozen large pic- 

 tures, with poetical inscriptions, the 

 subjects generally relative to sofnc 

 prominent scenes in high life ; and his 

 statue, — one and all borne by six 

 persons, supported by a train of ten, 

 each person with large llambcaux, 

 and of whatever order or degree the 

 deceased belonged to. After the bi- 

 shops and cardinals, walk the cardinal 

 jirocurator of canonisation, and tlio 

 ambassador from the country petiti- 

 oning for the day's honours; or, in his 

 absence, the jtrincipal suitor for them. 

 Behind these, surrounded by numerous 

 supporters, 



