168 THE CHURCH AND ITS CEREMONIES. 



Nominally at daylight, but really not until after a reasonably early breakfast, in imitation 

 of their divine Master, the curates of the churches begin their missions of mercy. Unlike "the 

 man of many sorrows," however, some of them ride in luxuriously cushioned carriages, driven 

 and attended by gentlemen of the best blood in Santiago, and are escorted by troops of cavalry 

 and a military band. In the archbishop's cortege there were two other and unoccupied car- 

 riages, also with gentlemen drivers and footmen, some few mounted guasos, and, of course, a 

 great crowd of peons and boys. Attending them were venders of rockets and fireworks of 

 various descriptions, who reaped an excellent harvest ; and the incessant explosions of pyrotech- 

 nics overhead, rendered the pompous parade as unlike a religious festival as possible. 



Opposite our residence there lived a lady too old to attend church, before whose door the car- 

 riage stopped whilst the sacrament was taken within and administered to her. The delay was 

 entirely too brief for spiritual counsel, and it may well be doubted whether the priest remained 

 long enough to see her swallow the wafer ; but she is well endowed with worldly goods which 

 she cannot possibly enjoy much longer, and the holy honor of a visit by his reverence on this 

 occasion may secure a rich legacy to the church. Bred to the law, his Eight Keverence knows 

 well the human heart ; and when called on to write testamentary documents as he frequently 

 j g he fails not to secure provision for mother church. In a recent instance of the kind, to 

 which one of our countrymen was a subscribing witness, his Reverence had managed to secure 

 a legacy of $100,000 for spiritual purposes. 



MAY 13. On this day the great earthquake of 1647 is commemorated by a procession from 

 San Augustin. In this the members of the legal profession unite, as a body, with the clergy. 

 Its origin may be traced in the following extract from an account of the earthquake, given by 

 the then bishop of Santiago Gaspar de Villarroel (himself an Augustin) to the president of 

 the Supreme Council of the Indies: 



"During sixty years they had been building a sumptuous temple, of brick and mortar, for 

 San Agustin. It had three naves, of which the principal one was finished; the arches were 

 partially raised, and to its final completion they had commenced covering it in. In the nave of 

 the Evangelist, covered with heavy materials, service was celebrated. It all fell ; and that 

 which did not fall is in worse condition than that which did, because the thousand openings of 

 so great a building will only serve to fill the pious with horror and fear. These fathers have a 

 most revered crucifix, miraculously made, it having been done about forty years ago by a 

 most pious monk, who was neither joiner nor carver. It was against the then partition 

 wall, which closed an arch so easy to fall that it did not need the earthquake ; yet, though the 

 whole nave was prostrated, the image remained erect on its cross, without even injury to the 

 canopy. They found it with the crown of thorns about the throat, as though to intimate that 

 so severe a sentence moved him to compassion; and because it remains, we promise ourselves 

 his great mercy. The population being moved by their ancient devotion, and this recent mira- 

 cle, we brought it in procession to the plaza ; the bishop and religious persons coming barefoot, 

 with great lamentations, many tears, and universal groans."* 



Padre Olivares, who wrote a history of Chile, the MS. of which is in possession of Presby- 

 ter Eyzaguirre, adds to this: "And though attempts were afterwards made to replace it, no 

 matter how great the force used, th^could not accomplish it, and it remains in that position 

 to the present time, much venerated by the people." The bishop immediately afterward insti- 

 tuted a fraternity under the name of Brothers of Jesus, Mary, and San Nicholas of Penitence; 

 and in memory of the day, at the hour of the earthquake they were to make an annual pro- 

 cession through all the public streets. ' Driven from their offices by the general ruin, the royal 

 auditors and municipal board assembled in the open air, passing an order binding themselves 

 and successors to participate in the ceremony, with red candles in their hands, and that all their 

 officers should confess and commune on that anniversary. All the citizens were entreated to fol- 



* Villarroel : Gobierno Eolesiastico Pacifico. 



