Papal Infallibility and Mariolatry.
The Rev. F. S. DeHass, D. D., in a letter from Rome published in a recent number of the Pittsburgh “Christian Advocate,” gives the following items of interest with regard to the pope’s infallibility and the worship of the Virgin:— Several things lately have tended to weaken the faith of the people in his infallibility. First, he told them that the Virgin would not permit the Italians to take the Holy City, but they did take it, and entered the holy places in defiance of the pope; and what is remarkable, the very first shot from their artillery, when before the gates, knocked the head from the statue of St. Peter, placed there to guard the sacred portal. The superstitious, regarding this as a bad omen, threw down their arms, and gave up the contest. Again, when they were arranging for a special high mass in one of the chapels of St. Peter’s, a thunderbolt struck the building, and so injured the chapel as to necessitate a suspension of the service. And at the time the pope was to announce publicly the dogma of infallibility, he had so arranged the time and the throne on which he was to sit that the sun at that particular moment would shine through a concealed window, throwing its rays on his head, thus leading the people to believe that Heaven approved the doctrine, but, lo! when the vast congregation assembled, and the hour had arrived for the annunciation, dark clouds obscured the sun, loud thunders rolled above the Vatican, the rain fell in torrents, and a vivid flash of lightning struck and shattered to pieces the very window through which the divine light was expected to stream; all of which was interpreted by the multitude as foreboding evil. Passing through the Vatican one day, whom should I meet but the pope himself, taking his morning walk. He was dressed in scarlet from head to foot, and attended by Cardinal Antonelli, several bishops, and his body guard of Swiss soldiers. They who were near him knelt as he passed, some kissed his robe, and other acts of homage were paid him. As all who were introduced to him, had to kiss his hand, I respectfully declined that honor. He is seventy-nine years old, and appears quite feeble. Poor mortal! his infallibility can’t save him from human infirmities. I have been surprised at the amount of idolatry tolerated here. Rome is essentially a pagan city. Idolatry gross as that of Nineveh, or Greece, or Imperial Rome, is daily practiced in her churches. Go to St. Peter’s any day, and you will see hundreds and often thousands, kissing the toe of an old bronze statue of St. Peter, though some of the people say it was cast for Jupiter. In the church of St. Augustine there is a marble statue of the Virgin and infant Saviour. The image is supposed to possess power to work miracles, and thousands of devotees may be seen crowding her chapel, kneeling before her, kissing her feet, and paying her all divine honors. She is literally covered with the offerings of her worshipers, jewels of every kind, rings, lockets, bracelets, watches, necklaces, and every conceivable gift are hung about the idol, until you can scarcely see either mother or child for the ornaments, all given as votive offerings for supposed miraculous cures effected. There is no denying the fact that all worship in the Catholic churches of this city is made subservient to the glorification of the Virgin; that more reverence and homage is paid her than to the Father, Son, or Holy Ghost. Everything is done in the name of the Madonna, our blessed Lord being nothing but a helpless infant in her arms. The other Sabbath I visited St. Maria in Via Lata built on the supposed spot where Paul “lived two whole years,” when in Rome. No church could be more hallowed in its associations or better calculated to inspire one with devotion, than this. And yet the whole service consisted in the adoration of a wax doll, about twelve inches long, representing the child Christ. Before this toy the priests bowed and crossed themselves in a hundred ways, as though it was the Almighty himself they were worshiping. The sale of Indulgences seems to be as common here as that of meat and flour. Over most of the church doors may be seen in large letters: “Indulgence plenary may be obtained every day for the living or the dead.” Also the most generous grants are made for the performance of certain duties; for instance, attending the church of Santa Croce on the second Sunday in Advent, 11,000 years of indulgence and remission of all one’s sins. On many altars, you will see inscribed, “Every mass said at this altar liberates one soul from purgatory.” Most of the worship rendered in Rome is to secure indulgence in some vice, pardon for some sin, or to fill the coffers of the pope. Yet this is all tolerated under the shadow of St. Peter’s, and all in the name of Christianity.