Earthquakes in Italy.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 216, 20 August 1887, Page 7

Earthquakes in Italy.

TiiK recent earthquakes in Italy recall the gieat t-hocks that \isitedthe Eteinal City in February, 1703, as chronicled by Fiances-co Valcvio He states that while the Feast of the Purification was being celebrated at the Vatican, an earthquake frightened away all those who were assisting in the services. The shock was of such violence that the fountains of the piazza Nttvona \\e\e shaken fiom their positions, and that the bell-tower of the church of St. Augustine, many buildings and the obelisk standing in the same piazza all swayed back and foith as if moved by waves. Among other things, he describes " fissureh in the cupola of St. Peter's as being so .serious as to leave it in doubt whether it would not any day be found descending into the church to thank the foundations for having so long sustained it." The comical us well as the serious side of the story is said to have occurred on the following day Sunday, when some individuals, either for purpose of robbery or pure malice, ran thrown the streets crying " that the Blessed Virgin had appeared to his Holiness, and had declared that at 11 o clock the city was to be engulfed in an abyss People fled in every direction, many nearly nude, and nothing was heard but weeping, chanting of the Litany, and other orations Many died from pure fright. Princes and princesses fled, half nude, like the common people. The Piazzas Termini, di Spagna, del Popolo and Cappuccini were crowded with fugitives awaiting the expected catastrophe,°and relying upon prayers and tears to avert it. The authorities, when aroused to the seriousness of the situation, hastened to advise the Pope, who was sleeping tranquilly. Horsemen and foot messengers were quickly sent out in every direction, ordering the people in the name of his Holiness to return to their homes. The Pope offered a reward of 300 scudi, whitk he raised to 1,000, for the authors of the raise alarm raised in his name, but they were never discovered. So ended the earthquake of 1703, since which time nothing has occurred to shake the foundations of the Eternal City.