Our Foreign Department [pp. 169-171]

7THE LADIES' REPOSITORY.
at the sight, and others declared they saw a
white dove ascend from the flames. When
Calixtus III ascended the Papal throne, he
appointed the Archbishop of Rheims as
President of a Court to examine all the
charges against the Maid, and she was declared to be pure and spotless as an angel.
Calixtus would then have sainted her had
the hatred between France and England at
that time not been so great. But her memory has thus been preserved in the annals of
the Church, and as Pius IX cares now but
little about heretical England, he raises to
the list of saints the beautiful girl whom
the English once burned as a witch.
PROVINCIAL France still preserves a great
many of the superstitions of the Middle
Ages, and even noAv has, at periods, processions in honor of legends that have found
credence in the breasts of the peasants for
ages. The zealous Catholic population of
the beautiful province has had for cenuries
no more picturesque, quaint, popular festival than the one klnown as the "Fete of St.
Ferreol." This St. Ferreol has the credit
of being the patron saint of maritime cities,
a character often played by St. Nicholas in
the coast cities of the Baltic Sea. On his
annual festal day a numerous procession
marches through the Grand Court of Marseilles, which, in honor of the festivities, is
adorned with flowers and decorated with
altars. For centuries the honorable guild
of butchers have been present at this festival in the most picturesque costume. They
are easily recognized by the ax, the emblem
of their profession, as well as the long garments and the peculiar hat in the style of
Henry IV, which adorns their stalwart
forms. They surround a giant ox, with
gilded horns, and on whose broad back,
covered with a beautiful rug, sits a handsome youth, dressed as John the Baptist.
In the rear follows a numerous company of
young girls dressed in white, and decked
with ribbons and flowers. Some of these
appear as nuns, representing St. Agnes, or
St. Ursula, as well as St. Theresa, the patron saint of music. The most beautiful
girls appear as Mary Magdalene, bearing a
crucifix in their hands. Others choose the
garb of the Gray Sisters. Little boys follow them sometimes as angels, and again as
monlks, with occasional miniature editions
of the angels Gabriel and Michael. Then
appears a company of shepherds surrounding their patron saint John, who is clothed
in a sheep-skin which partly covers him, as
he leads a lamb adorned with ribbons.
And nowv comies a band of singing boys, who
swinig baskets filled with fragrant flowers,
w,hichl at a given signal are to be scattered
at the feet of the dignitaries. With pious
gallantry these little fellows scatter their floral wreaths also to the ladies, who form the
spectators to the procession; so that many
of these latter are soon adorned with flowers and wreaths that are laid at their feet.
Thus the stately procession reaches the port
of Marseilles, which is one of the most extensive and lively in the world. All the
quays have long been filled with curious
crowds, so dense that not a foot can be seen.
The deck of every vessel in the naval or the
merchant service is crowded with persons in
holiday attire, and especially with sailors in
gala dress. As the procession passes, the
whole assembly bow the knee before the
holy image on the crucifix, and the hardy,
sun-burned sailors extend their hands to the
priests, who impart to them a blessing from
the canopy that protects and covers them.
The deepest silence and the most fervent
devotion prevails among the countless multitude. When the act of blessing is concluded, all the multitude arise, the bells
peal forth their merry souniids, the cannons
roar, and the festal procession repairs slowly
and solemnly to the cathedral whlence it set
out. On witnessing these mediaeval ceremonies it is quite impossible not to seemn
transferred to other times, and to marvel at
the power of that Church which can thus
hold in hand the masses that no other power
in France seems able to control.
THE Scandinavian lands of Northern Europe have been largely neglected by the
average tourist, and but little has been
kniown as to their national peculiarities and
customs. Of late years more has been seen
and said regarding them, and wve learn that
the stream of travel is rapidly turning that
way during -the Summer season. The people of Denmark have of course a struggle
with adverse elements in comparison with
those of favored Southern climes, and they
[August,
17o