1 14 
THE STANDARD GUIDE. 
sions filled the streets; the Holy Sepulchre was borne in state by devotees 
jealous to perform the service; effigies of Christ and the Virgin and the 
images of the saints from the churches were carried through the streets. 
“The next day, which was Good Friday, about twilight, a long procession came 
trailing slowly through the streets under my window, bearing an image of the 
dead Christ lying upon a cloth of gold. It was accompanied by a body of soldiers 
holding their muskets reversed, and a band playing plaintive tunes; the crowds 
uncovered their heads as it passed.” — W m. Cullen Bryant. 
But this has passed away, along with many other of the old customs 
which were picturesque and interesting, but not in keeping with the 
spirit of the present day. In November, 1904, there was discussed in the 
Cuban Congress a law forbidding religious processions in the streets. 
The ecclesiastical government consists of the Archbishopric of Santiago 
and the Bishopric of Havana. The Cathedral has already been alluded to, 
some other churches may be noted. 
San Agustin, at Cuba and Amargura streets, formerly a monastery 
built in 1608, is the oldest church in the city. Among the decorations of 
the walls are to be noted the Stations of the Cross in twelve alto-relievos. 
Santa Catalina, on O’Reilly street, at the corner of Compostela, built 
1698, contains the bones of the martyrs Celestino and Lucida, which were 
brought from Rome. 
Santo Domingo, at O’Reilly and Mercaderes streets, was a monastery 
of the Dominicans. In the sacristy are preserved portraits of the Count 
and Countess of Casa Bayona, by whose liberality the monastery was 
founded in 1578. 
La Merced, at Cuba and Merced streets, is the wealthiest and most 
aristocratic church in the city, and a fashionable congregation may be 
seen at its Sunday morning mass. There is a full orchestra. The church 
was built in 1746, and rebuilt in 1792; and the interior has been remodeled 
and richly decorated within recent years. There are rich marble altars, 
handsome chapels, and many fine paintings. Among the treasured antiques 
is a curious old painting which represents a group of Indians being 
slaughtered by a number of Spaniards. In the center is a wooden cross, 
upon the transverse portion of which is seated Our Lady of Mercy holding 
the Infant Jesus in her arms. In the corner is an inscription in Spanish, 
of which the translation reads: 
“The Admiral Don Christopher Columbus and the Spanish Army, being possessed 
of the Cerro de la Vega, a place on the Spanish island, erected on it a cross, on 
whose right arm the 2d of May, 1493, in the night, there appeared with her most 
precious Son the Virgin Our Lady of Mercy. The Indians who occupied the 
island, as soon as they saw Her, drew their arrows and shot at Her; but as the 
arrows could not pierce the sacred wood, the Spaniards took courage, and falling upon 
the 1 same ' Indians, killed a great number of them. And the person who saw this 
wonderful prodigy was the V. R. F. Juan.” 
