CATHOLIC SPAIN

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXV, Issue 13, 28 March 1907, Page 11

CATHOLIC SPAIN

(Concluded fiom last week.) Sunny Spain is at -her best in May and June. The Corpus Christ* .very seldom falls in May, so we naturally ' look for this great, grand festival in the sweet month of June. Days before the eventful Feast elaborate preparations are made fox- the due solemnity of the On the eve especially Is observed the greatest, of preparations, for on the following day is not the King of the Universe "going to pass through the streets, blessing the 'multitude and their homes ? The ' line of route, some two miles in circumference, is especially decorated. The streets are, covered with sand, and every house is bedecked with , bunting and ricn tapestry.- The morn of / - ' Corpus Christi dawns with everything perfect as regards atmospheric conditions. The military are alert everywhere, marching to the places assigned ■to them. The entire of route is guarded by the different branches of the service. At ten o'clock the procession starts from the - Cathedral ' 'amid a salvo of artillery. . First come a strong mounted body ,of the Guardia Civil, followed by Dragoons. All church bells are rung and the massed •bands strike up the National Anthem 'La Marcha Real.' Next come as "on Good' Friday the schools, sodalities, and confraternities all singing the • Pange

Lingua.' Magnificemt statues ot the Sacred Heart, of Our Lady, bedecKed with jewels and -regal garments, are borne by men* of splendid ' physique. Beautiful Spanish maildens carry splendid banners of Spain's, principal Saints, St:' o amcs of Compostella, St. -Ignatius of Loyola, St. Teresa, St. Peter of Alcantara, St. Isidore, etc. More soldiers, more music, and then begins the long line of clergy, two deep. Then follow the ' Beneficiarios ' and the yhapter of the Cathedral. It is- now possible to hear' the ringing of handbells announcing the near approach of His Majesty the King of Heaven 1 and of earth. On their knees go all foot-sol-diers and civilians. Mounted men lower arms. Dear little children are throwing flowers on the sanded ground over- which our Saviour is about to" pass. The little ories' get replenished by bystanders at different points of the route. Tlie bell ringing becomes more distinct, the strong bodyguard of Dragoons come in sight, and lo ! you s see the superb Chariot of four- wheels, one shaft,' s and lofty dome, all Silver and' go-Id, drawn by Canpns *of the Cathedral and pushed by them. Under the beautiful dome-canopy and firmly set is the monstrance containing the Blessed Sacrament, in' front of Our Dear Lord, on either side of Him, and behind' Him, kneel His faithful Spanish subjects. -The highest and - lowest in the land on 1 bended knees receive His blessing. The air is full of the - fragrance ' of incenise and flower, the people are overflowed with joy, military bands play the National . Anthem, "church bells are lustily rung, and the • salvos of artillery are unmistakable signs that earth knows that the King of Kings is on His journey to bless and sanctify His people and their home. Immediately behind the Chariot walk the saintly Archbishop and his assistants. A strong mounted body of troops closes the procession. On goes the procession in the same routine until it returns to the Cathedral, where Benediction is given by the Archbishop. It is most soul-inspiring and most edifying, not only to see the people turn out in their thousands to do homage to the King, but to witness the great and grand display made by the military. It can be relied on that no larger turnout of troops would be effected were 1 King Edward of England to visit any of the Spanish c*ilies. The foregoing is a very meagre account of Corpus Christi in Spain ; the speaker sadly needs the beautiful powers of the Shifted and; talented lady, Mrs. Jeffrey, who has so aibly depicted in the ' Catholic Times,' her impressions of the, observance of this great festival. Mrs. Jeffrey's descriptions are of the South, the speaker's are of the" North of Spain. Our next theme is All Souls'' Day. - The Spanish heart is alternately gay and sad. Joyous at Corpus Christi and such like great feasts, and sad in Holy Week and on the Second ci November. If any nation honors its dead it is Catholic Spain. Walk out to the Campo Santo, or Cemetery, on the afternoon of All Saints' Day, and see* there the hundreds of people. Not there merely from curiosity but there with prayers on their lips and in their hearts for their dear ones departed. Here, you will see little orphans kneeling at the grave of their - dear parents ; - there, parents mcurning the loss of their children. • Here, a group of pious people saying' the Rosary ; and there, others reciting the Litany of the Dead. In the mausolea, and there are many, preparations are being made for the Holy Masses that will be said therein on the morrow. On the morning of All Stiul's Day, the churches are packed with good pious worshippers, most of whom will stay for the three Masses a, priest is allowed, but not compelled, to celebrate on this great festival. Leave your parish church and go to the Carmpo Santo. Holy Mass is going on unceasingly for hours in the mausolea. The little crypt contains a few privileged relatives, but is surrounded by a goodly throng of worshippers. Prayer, prayer, everywhere. Masses, Rosaries, and Litanies, all ascending to Heaven for help for those who are dearest to ' them and needing their prayers. Of course, the Masses cease at mid-day, but not the other -devotions.' By no means. Go home and have your mid-^day collation, and after it, a whisper in your ears tells you to " take your afternoon walk, not 'in the promenades, but to God's Acre. That, is- the place, and that is the place where you will see the same faces you observed " on the previous afternoon, and on that morning. They are still there, and likely to be there till, darkness 1 siets ' in and tells them to _go home. Sad in heart tout joyful »in the intercession of Our Lady on behalf of their dear ones, the Spaniards retire for the night. The Passing BelU The streets are dirty and sloppy after a heavy downpour of rain: Walking down a street, what is it that attracts your notice? ' Aqui viene Su Majestad!' you hear the bystanders remark : Here comes His

Majesty. He conies forth from His Tabernacle -to console some dying person. The tinkling of . a little . handbell announces the approach of the priest and Mis escort. Here they come, and. here they go on their knees every m>an, woman and child. Passing vehicles stop and the drivers of them dismount and' kneel" in the wet road. There is the priest in cassock, surplice, and cope, carrying- the Sacred Pyx, He is -preceded* by ( two -small altar boys carrying lighted -candles (in glass cases), and ringing handbells. On either side of him walks a - soldier with fixed bayonet, and loaded carbine. The holy priest with his Precious Burden passes by, and those good Spaniards' who can spare the time, invariably follow him^Lo the dwelling' of the sick person. . On ascertain* feast-day, a dance was In progress . on oife x of the. greens. Soldiers and civilians all mixed up and engrossed in gaiety, and dancing to the strains ■ of the " national , guitar. Maidens dressed in all the colors of the, rainbow, and men arrayed in the picturesque garb of the toreador.-' In the height - of all this . fun« and gaiety, there was heard the tinKling of. a" bell. Full well does our faithful Spaniard, God 'bless him, know the meaning of that sound. Where,- where, is -it ! Which way is it coming ! Ah ! .here it _is ; here comes^ \His Majesty : here comes Our Lord on His errand of mercy. What happened ! Did these people go on with their dancing and merrymaking ? No ; Gojd .forbid that a Spaniard should turn his back on the Blessed Sacrament. The musician's jumped down from their pedestals, and the whole congregation, it may he termed, flew from the green to the sides of the road by which the little procession was.' to pass. There is the priest again, and his boy . escort and Kis military prp- - tection. On their knees go our pious Spaniai-ds "to •do homage to, and receive the blessing from, Our Divine" ~ljord. When the procession was past, did these people return, to their dancing ? Not they ; they closed in behind the priest and followed him to the end of his journey. Never was a speedier display of rosaries made than on th-at occasion. It is no difficulty for" a" Span- . • iard to find His" Rosary, fqr it is always about his person, On another occasion a drizaling rain was much in evidence, but tnat v is no 1 drawbajCK tq the priest "on his sick call. Protected by an umbrella held over him by a gentleman, and accompanied wilh his usual escort, the priest was going dowii a wide thoroughfare when a carriage and pair was seen approaching. Did the driver j)ass .on and take no «heed ?•No ; he pulls up, alights from 1 his box, and opens the carriage door foj the occupant to get out. The gentleman gets out and • of--fers his carriage to the' wet priest and his . Sacred Charge. The priest enters, the altar boys walk in front of the vehicle, the driver walks at the mules' * heads, and a soldier walks on either side of the carriage, and the owner of the carriage walks behind it. What faifti ! - It .is the custom in . Spain when a priest 'receives a sick call, for notice; to fie sent to the, nearest barracks for an escort, and at once two are told off- for that purpose. There may be a doubt in the minds of some people as to whether the carbines' are loaded or not, or were they carried as a military display -The speaker was soon put at ease on - this point when questioning "an officerl The rifles are loaded with ball cartridges, and -a reserve is carried. Orders -are given to the men to defend their Charge at the cost of their lives •if .necessary. There is no sham about us Spaniards, said the officer. Would we not jealously guard our earthly king were he to pass through tjhe streets ? Therefore we put' a .trustworthy guard on our. Heavenly King, and* we would turn out a whole regiment- fully armed should there be suspicion of any trouble. This is Catholic Spain 4 ! Spain, termed the illiterate ; Spain, the land of beggars ; Spain the lonely, and the l a nd to be despised and jeered at. Spain has not sold her -heritage for a mess of pottage,' but she has kept, and will keep, ; herfaith, pure and unsullied. Spanish chivalry is not dead, " it may be* dormant, and. ILurope., might' some day ' -be glad to make friends with, the- Peninsula. Of one thing we may be sure, and ,that is, if ever -the Holy Father should want' a home Spain will be at his feet ;" and if ever he should need Papal Zouaves, the Spanish 'army will be at his disposal. To the unbeliever, to ' the man who says there is no God, let the advice he— go to Spain ; he will - need no books, no theology, " no -counsel, but open eyes and keen observation. Let him observe the piety of the people in the cathedrals 'and out of them ; 'in their houses and jn. their streets ; in their cemeteries, and on their lawns,' and - observe their „, faith, especially when^ *Su Maiestad,' His Majesty the King of Heaven is on His way to the bedside of — ■ perhaps a dying sinner.