in black, which offsets the
brilliancy of the robes worn by the church officials, for even the
guards on duty are in elegant red and white uniforms. About ten
o'clock in the evening a procession of monks, priests, bishops, and
cardinals, walking two and two, enters the vast building just as the
great choir of male voices with organ accompaniment sounds forth the
Magnificat. The procession is long, glowing in color, and very
attractive to the eye, but the object of each Romanist's desire is to
see the Pope, who, in magnificent robes, and seated in his crimson
chair, is borne aloft on the shoulders of four men clothed in violet.
On the Pope's head gleams his richly gemmed tiara and his heavy robes
sparkle with costly jewels. Waving in front of His Eminence are two
huge fans of white ostrich feathers set with eyes of peacock feathers,
to signify the purity and watchfulness of this highest of church
functionaries. Before His Holiness march the sixty Roman noblemen, his
Guard of Honor, who form his escort at all church festivals, while
Cardinals, Bishops, and others, according to their rank, march beside
him, or near at hand.

With his thumb and two fingers extended in recognition of the Trinity,
and at the same time showing the ring of St. Peter which he always
wears, the Pope, followed by the ecclesiastic procession, passes down
the nave between the files of soldiers, blessing the people as he
goes.

Upon reaching the altar the Pope is escorted to an elevated seat while
the choir sings the Psalm of Entrance. Later, at the elevation of the
Host, the cannon of St. Angelo (the citadel of Rome, which was built
in the time of the Emperor Hadrian) booms forth and every Roman
Catholic bows his head in prayer, wheresoever he may be. At the close
of the service the gorgeous procession is again formed and the Pope is
carried out of the church, blessing the multitude as he passes.

New Year is the great Social feature of Yule-tide in Italy. Visits and
some presents are exchanged among friends, dinner parties, receptions,
and fetes of all kinds are in order, but all interest centers in the
church observances until Epiphany, or _Bafana_, as Italians term it,
when children hang up their stockings, _ceppo_ boxes are exchanged,
and people indulge in home pleasures to some extent. The wild hilarity
of the Saturnalian festivities of former times is fast dying out, for
the growth of cities and towns has not proved conducive to such
obser