Italy Volume 1

urn:iso:std:iso:639:ed-3:eng

187

text excerpt

The Saint's day [St. Abbondio] was ushered in by all the splendour of Italian skies; the waters were blue and brilliant as the heavens: every steeple sparkled in the sunshine; and every bell tolled, from the shores of the Chiavenna, to the Duomo of Como. Not a mountain, not a paese in the district, but had yielded up its inhabitants to the festivity of the season: some issued forth upon the lake, in their various holiday garb, of bright and gaudy colours, rowing their loaded boat, which sunk deep in the water by its heavy weight; others sailed gallantly, with fluttering canvass and flaunting banners: while the inland votarists came pouring down the acclivities of Saint Fermo and Saint Elmo (the women distinguishable afar by their glittering bodkins), all bending their steps to that venerable Dome, where glittered in large golden characters—"Indulgenza Plenaria." The day began with a musical mass, at which the Bishop of Como officiated in pontificalibus; the whole sumptuous parade of the most sumptuous and most attractive of all religions was exhibited; and the same orchestra which performed the "Cenerentola," at the Opera, the night before, and symphonized the triumphs of the Glass Slipper, now with the exact same strains (the brilliant harmonies of Rossini) accompanied the most solemn and imposing ceremonies of the most holy of mysteries.

excerpt from 'Italy Volume 1' pp. 187 (223 words)

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