Rome and Heathenism

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Jul 1, 1886

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 12, No. 25.

Rome and Heathenism.

A GREAT Roman Catholic festival is held every year at Bandhara, a place eight miles from Bombay, and full of old Portuguese churches. The festival is always held on Sunday, and is an abominable display of worldliness. A striking feature of it is that heathen who have been disappointed by their own gods are encouraged to renew their vows before the images displayed by the priests. The Bombay Guardian reports a curious instance of such homage at this year’s festival: “A Hindoo woman had made a vow to ‘Our Lady,’ that if she obtained what she asked for she would roll seven times around the church. So she lay down, full length, and was rolled over and over by two women. She was a stout woman, rain was falling, the ground was soft, the mud accumulated. Five times had the pradakshana of the temple or church been accomplished, when a priest came forward and announced to the poor creature that the ‘Blessed Virgin’ was satisfied, and would accept of the five tours as though they were seven.” In what respect can such a performance be considered an improvement on the penances of heathendom?—Religious Intelligencer.