Page:Life in the Old World - Vol. II.djvu/106

116 the good-tempered expression which is peculiar to him, dealt out with his fat, white hands, blessings to the right and the left.

Of all the symbolical business which he transacted between the grave of Paul and Peter, and the high-altar, as well that which was transacted about his person, I understood quite as little as the greater number who were present. I know that a church-ceremonial is a kind of symbolical language, and that, in order to understand it, one must be initiated therein; and also, that one has no right to pass judgment on that which one does not understand. But, may not one, with some justice, require that a transaction which ought to have an interest for every soul, should have a symbolical language, worthy of the transaction; and, that its main purport should be comprehensible to every soul not unacquainted with its significance. On Christmas Day, people celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ; but what connection could the endless fuss and fiddle-faddling about the Pope's person have to do with it? He is clothed and re-clothed more than once; his tiara is removed and replaced at least a dozen times. The cardinals, one after another, come and fall upon their knees and kiss his slipper. The Pope offers burning incense before the pictures of the saints, then the cardinals do the same to him; then they embrace and kiss one another; then they fiddle-faddle again with his dress, then the incense is presented, and again bending, and bowing, and kissing takes place, as if it would never come to an end. If this be intended as a symbolical representation of the life of love and concord of the church, the expression is altogether too