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December.

3. S. Francis Xavier. Fête at the Gesù, Rome, and at Sta. Lucia, Bologna.

4.

Fête of the artillerymen, and military mass at Sta. Maria in Transpontina, Rome.

6. Festival at Alicante.

8. Immaculate Conception.

9.

10.

Volksfest, lasting two or three days, 16. at Wertheim, near Frankfort-on-theMaine.

21.

Sundays and Thursdays in this month, 24. popular holidays in Rome, on the Monte Testaccio.

Sunday nearest October 14.- Procession of Ste. Angadrème at Beauvais, in commemoration of the siege.

Third Sunday in October.- Kermesse 25. of the Emperor Joseph, in Austria.

November.

1. All Saints. Crowds visit the Naples

Papal

Chapel in Sistine, Rome. Through the Octave, solemn dancing of the Seises in Seville Cathedral.

(Nov. 27, O. S.) Festival at Kursk. Great Festival at the Santa Casa in Loreto.

Miracle of St. Januarius, Naples.
Feast of his "Patrocinio."
Fair at Barcelona.

Christmas Eve. "Presepe " in every
church and house in Naples.
Procession of the Holy Crib in Sta.
Maria Maggiore, Rome.

Nocturnal services at the Vatican, Sistine Chapel, &c.

Christmas Day. High Mass by the Pope in St. Peter's.

Festival of the "Presepe" at the Ara Coli. Sermons preached by boys daily for ten days after

wards.

cemeteries, and the Campo Santo, 26. S. Stephen. Popular fête, San Ste

Rome.

In the confraternity cemeteries at Rome, waxen tableaux, life-size, in impromptu theatres, represent Scripture subjects or scenes from the lives of martyrs: exposed all through the Octave.

2. All Souls. Cemeteries at Seville, at Barcelona, and throughout Spain, much visited.

Crowds visit Père la Chaise, Paris. Graves in Bohemia and in Munich decked with flowers and lights. Cemeteries in Vienna much visited. 4 San Carlo Borromeo. Great fête at Milan.

Papal Chapel, San Carlo al Corso,
Rome.

6. Festival at Bremen.

16. Commemorative

11 and 25. Days of public shooting on the Lake of Albufera, Valencia. service on the battle-field of Morgarten, Switzerland. 22. St. Cecilia. Festival in Sta. Cecilia, Rome, and illumination of catacomb of San Callisto.

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fano Rotondo, Rome.

31. Te Deum, attended by Pope and Cardinals, at the Gesù, Rome.

II. MOVABLE FESTIVALS. Carnival. At Rome this begins on the Saturday week before Ash Wednesday, and lasts to Shrove Tuesday. Masquerades and horse-races each afternoon; lighting and blowing out of the tapers on the last evening.

At Florence, processions, &c.

At Milan the Carnival lasts till first Sunday in Lent, through the "Ambrosian rite" observed there.

In Spain the Carnival is best seen at Barcelona (where, on the first day of Lent, "the Carnival is buried "); at Malaga; at Madrid, for three days. At Seville, solemn dancing of the Seises in the Cathedral.

In Belgium the Carnival is kept for three days before Ash Wednesday at Antwerp, Courtrai, &c. The first Sunday in Lent is a great Carnival day at Bruges, Grammont, &c.

In Germany the Carnival is most observed at Cologne, and in Bohemia, on the three days before Ash Wednes

day. At Munich the "Metzgersprung "| Willibrod's Church, Echternach, Luxemon the Monday before Ash Wednes- burg. Dancing procession.

day.

At Lucerne a curious grotesque procession takes place on the Thursday before Ash Wednesday.

Ash Wednesday.- High Mass in St. Peter's; sprinkling of ashes on the heads of the Cardinals.

Third Sunday in Lent.-Exposition of relics, and great concourse of people at San Lorenzo, Rome, "Carnevaletto delle donne."

During Lent, Passion Plays frequent at Madrid, and throughout Spain.

Passion Sunday.— A sermon in the open air at Seville.

Palm Sunday-The Pope is carried into St. Peter's, consecrates the palms, and is carried round the building. Tuesday to Thursday in Holy Week."Foire aux jambons," Paris.

Good Friday.- Pergolesi's Mater" sung at the Jesuits' Munich.

66

"Stabat Church,

Holy Sepulchre" in every church at Vienna: great crowds.

Easter Eve.-Great Court procession at Vienna in the Imperial Palace. Easter Sunday.- Naples. Pilgrimage of Antignano.

Easter Monday.— Chief day on the Prater, Vienna.

Second Sunday after Easter.- Great fair of Leipzig begins, for three weeks.

In the Rogation Days processions at Rome at Bruges, Nivelles, and throughout Belgium.

Ascension Day.- Papal Chapel at St. John Lateran, Rome, with the Pope's benediction given from the balcony.

Gathering of the tribe of the Maragatos at Astorga; dancing.

Popular festival at Coire.

Sunday after Ascension Day.- Festival at Tell's Chapel, on the Lake of Lucerne. High Mass and patriotic sermon. Congregation in boats.

Whit Sunday.- Papal Chapel in Sistine Chapel, Rome.

Pilgrimage (during five days) to Monte Virgine, near Naples. Peasants' dances at Mercogliano.

Whit Monday.- Peasants' ball in the Adelsberg caverns (iiluminated).

Peasants' dances and illuminations in the Nebelhöhle Cavern, near Lichtenstein, Würtemberg.

Festival at Toulouse, with processions. "Fête des corps saints."

Procession at Nivelles, Belgium.

Pilgrimages to Hal, in Belgium.

The "Niederrheinische Musikfest" is held yearly, at Whitsuntide, in Cologne, Aix-la-Chapelle, Düsseldorf, or Elberfeld. This year it will be at Aix-la-Chapelle. Trinity Sunday.- Procession of the Lumeçon at Mons.

Pilgrimage to Walcourt, Belgium.

HOLY WEEK IN ROME.

Every evening, at the Trinità dei Pellegrini, the feet of pilgrims are washed by noble ladies.

Wednesday." Tenebræ," with gradual extinguishing of lights.

"Miserere" sung before the Pope in the Sistine Chapel.

Holy Thursday.-High Mass in Sistine Chapel; procession of the Pope to the Pauline Chapel, which is illuminated; he blesses the people from the balcony in front of St. Peter's.

"Lavandaia." The Pope washes the feet of thirteen priests in St Peter's.

"Cena." The Pope waits on the thirteen priests at table, in the Vatican. "Tenebræ" and "Miserere" in the Sistine Chapel. Illumination of Pauline and other chapels. Good Friday. and "Miserere." Adoration of relics in St. Peter's, by the Pope.

"Tenebræ” repeated,

Saturday.- Public baptism of Jews, &c., in the Baptistery of Constantine. Palestrina Mass. Easter Eve service at St. Peter's.

Easter Sunday. - The Pope carried into St. Peter's; celebrates Mass; silver trumpets sounded. Benediction from balcony. Illumination of the dome.

Easter Monday. — Fireworks.

Florence. Easter Eve. "Lo scoppio del carro.” Fireworks in front of the Duomo.

HOLY WEEK IN SPAIN.

Great services at Seville, Toledo, Valencia, Valladolid, and other cities. Processions of the "Pasos," ancient painted and clothed images.

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Monumentos (great wooden temples) raised in the churches for the exposition of the Host.

Holy Thursday. — Procession of Pasos at Burgos.

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Monumento at Seville.

Processions of Pasos and banners in

Whit Tuesday.- Pilgrimage to St. Seville, Burgos, &c.

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"CORPUS CHRISTI," OR 66
CORPUS DOMINI."
(Thursday after Trinity Sunday.)
June 12, 1873.

A festival with processions at Trieste, Vienna, and other Roman Catholic cities. Chief festival of the year in Spain. Seville. The Quiresters or Seises dance before the high altar in the Cathedral, with castanets, and dresses of Philip III's time.

Valencia.

Religious procession: also at Toledo, Santiago, Barcelona, Granada, &c. Processions of "Pasos" and of the Sacrament.

Assembly and dances of the Maragatos at Astorga. Rome. High Mass in Sistine Chapel. The Pope then carries the Sacrament in procession to the Vatican Basilica. Two processions every afternoon during the Octave in Rome.

Munich. (Fronleichnamsfest ").
Guild processions and open-air services.
Ostend. Blessing of the sea.
Portugal. Image of St. George car-
ried on horseback through the streets of
Lisbon.

On the Octave day, procession at Genzano in the Alban hills; the streets carpeted with flowers.

GREEK CHURCH FESTIVALS.

Greek Easter.-Monday in Holy Week. - Bathing of pilgrims in the Jordan; encampment in the plains.

Easter Eve.-Ceremony of the Holy Fire in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre at Jerusalem.

Ringing of bells in Moscow.

Midnight services in Constantinople.
Easter Sunday. - Processions through
the Streets of Pera (Constantinople).
Annual feast of the Church of Balukli,
Constantinople.

Great celebration of Easter throughout
Russia, especially at the Resurrection
Monastery near Moscow.
Easter Festival.
Rhodes, at Archangelo.

Fifth and Sixth Weeks after Easter. Fair at Oriel, south of Moscow.

Ninth Friday after Easter. — Miraculous image of the Virgin carried to a fair near Kursk; left there till Sept. 24 (12, O.S.).

Fifty days after Easter. - Fair of the Karakλvouós in Cyprus.

Easter Sunday in the Greek Church is regulated by different laws from those which fix its date in the Western Churches. For this year it coincides with the Western Easter, falling on April 13 (April 1, O.S.). Next year it will fall on April 12 March 31, O.S.); in 1875, on April 25 (April 13, O.S.).

MAHOMETAN FESTIVALS.

The Turkish months are lunar, and 537 Turkish years correspond to 521 of our years. The Turkish year is thus ten or eleven days shorter than ours, and each month in the course of thirty-three or thirty-four years i uns backwards through all the seasons of the year. The first of Ramadán for this year falls on Oct. 23; next year it will fall Oct. 13. Our system of leap year and the Turkish corresponding irregularity-19 years of 354 days to II years of 355 days-make it almost impossible to foretell with accuracy the correspondence of Mahometan and Christian dates.

The month of Ramadán is a period of strict fasting. This year it begins on October 23. On its 27th day (Nov. 18. 1873), falls the Leilet-al-Kadr, or night of predestination, celebrating the descent of the Koran from heaven. The Mosque of St. Sophia is illuminated, and the Sultan goes in procession through Constantinople. The Ramadán Beiram, "Eed-esSugheiyer," or lesser festival, one of the chief Mahometan festivals, succeeds the end of Ramadán, and occupies the first three days of Showál (November 22 to 24). Military parade by the Sultan at the old palace, Constantinople. Great festivities at Cairo.

Towards the end of Showál takes place the solemn departure of the pilgrims from Cairo for Mecca.

The Kurbán Beiram, "Eed-el-Kebeer" or greater festival, falls on the 10th of Zul-haj (Jan. 28, 1874), and lasts for four days. It commemorates the sacrifice by Abraham of a ram instead of his son (not Isaac, but Ishmael, according to the Mahometans), and is observed with great Carnival and Easter Weeks. Fairs festivities and sacrifices at Constantinoand sledging on the Boulevards of Mos-ple and Cairo: also at Mitylene, &c. The Mahometan year 1291 commences

COW.

Dances, &c., in

with the first day of the next month Mo- | I had very few scholars to attend to in harram (February 16, 1874). On the 10th harvest time. Those who had to stop in Moharram the anniversary of the death felt the effects of the heat, and were very of El Hoseyn is celebrated at the Mosque drowsy; they would not have kept awake of Azhar, in Cairo. (For an interesting at all if it had not been for looking at the account of this festival in India see the flies and shadows cast on the windows by Times of April 15, 1873.) big waggon-loads going by, or for listening to the noises outside - the reapers' laughter, the barking of dogs, and the deep lowing of oxen standing at barndoors. Children cannot spell and say their catechism all day without stopping and feeling sleepy.

Late in the following month Saffer, the pilgrims return from Mecca.

The Mirlood, or Moolid-en-Nebbee, the festival of the birth of the Prophet, lasts from the 3rd to the 12th of Rebeeael-Owwal, the last being the greatest day (about April 29th, 1874), when the Sultan goes in state to the Mosque of Ahmed at Constantinople, and when, at Cairo, the "Doseh" or "treading" is performed; two or three hundred men throw themselves on the ground, that the Sheykh may ride over them on horseback.

The Moolid-el-Hassaneyn, the celebration of the birthdays of El Hasan and El Hoseyn, the sons of Ali, falls in the next month, Rebeeh-'l-akher, and is observed for eight days at Cairo with great festivities and illuminations, and religious services at the Mosque of the Hassaneyn.

In the month Regeb (commencing about August 24, 1873, and August 13, 1874) is held for a fortnight the festival of the Seyyideh, at the Mosque of the Seyyideh Zeyneb (the granddaughter of the Prophet) at Cairo.

On the 26th of Regeb is celebrated the ascent of the Prophet to heaven. On this occasion, and also on the festival of the founder of the Shafeite sect, which falls during the following month Shaaban, the "Doseh" used to be performed at Cairo, but it is doubtful whether this is still the case.

Three times a year a great festival and fair is held at Tantah, between Alexandria and Cairo - the Viceroy often present. The "Cutting of the Canal ” piercing the dam of the river Nile-is performed with some ceremony at Cairo, about the second week in August. At the full moon of the months Regeb, Showál, and Zul-haj, solemn visits are paid to the cemetery of Minieh, on the Nile, above Cairo.

C. P.

From The St. James Magazine. THE TWO BROTHERS.

I sat up at my raised desk, mending quills and writing the copies out, thinking meanwhile of Louise's troubles; of the satisfaction she had given me as a scholar, her good memory and kind heart; her departure for Molsheim, her visits during the holidays, and the little presents she loved to bring with her. I pitied her for having so hard-hearted a father-a man who could contemplate sacrificing her to the head-keeper for the gratification of his revenge and hate!

Each time a fresh cartful went by its contents spread a fragrant, sweet perfume through the schoolroom, and I could not help feeling sorry for the little ones who were deprived of their games and liberty in the free, open air.

On the first stroke of eleven I called for prayers, and gave the signal for departure. The little things soon slung on their small linen satchels, and were not slow in wishing me good-bye, happy to stretch their limbs and take a peep, before dinner, at the wires and traps they had set for young birds among the bushes that fringe the river-side.

I had put all the fly-sheets in the drawer, and now stood at the school-door looking at the long line of waggons that were being unloaded all down the street. Men were holding sheaves on the point of their gleaming pitchforks to girls, who, with extended arms, stood at the air-holes in lofts above. It was a scene of plenty that rejoiced the eye and heart; I forgot Louise for a while; but presently I saw her coming along on the shady side of the way, bowing to all the good people who knew her. She had no hat on; I was pained to observe she had grown thinner since I last saw her, and she was still very beautiful: the Rantzau nose in aquiline proportions and their

A TALE BY MM. ERCKMANN-CHATRIAN, AUTHORS OF firm chin lent an undaunted, command

"THE CONSCRIPT," ETC.

CHAPTER XV.

THE morning of the following day was very quiet indeed. As I have before said,

ing something to her features not often met in villages; but she seemed ailing, was very ill perhaps, and as I looked at her I thought,

"Good heavens! is that my beloved Louise? Such a change in so little time!" It was not possible.

I felt heartsore when she came up to me and put her slender fingers in my hand.

"Monsieur Florent, I have a great favour to ask, and thought of you directly."

"We will walk up-stairs, my dear," I replied.

We did so. My wife and Juliette were laying the cloth; Louise said a word or two as we went through; I went straight, meanwhile, into the study, and closed the door after she had joined me.

She took a seat at the corner of my table, which was covered with fossils. I sat in my armchair with my back to the garden, looking at her and feeling very uneasy, for she seemed remarkably wan as she looked down, resting her thin cheek on one hand.

"I hear you called here yesterday, Louise, and found me absent."

"Yes, I did. I thought of what I had to say a long time before I made up my mind to come. What I am going to tell you is quite settled, Monsieur Florent; I have to ask you to do something for

me."

"What is it, my dear?"

"I mean to be a nun." "You, Louise, a nun? you, my child?" I exclaimed, in a strangled sort of voice. "You say you mean to give up your youth and all the blessings of this world? You are not in earnest."

She endeavoured to reply, but, not being able, took her small handkerchief out of her pocket, held it to her eyes, and placed one elbow on the table; she was not weeping, she was only trembling.

I waited for a moment or two. With her other hand Louise threw her hair back, and silence continued until she had recovered herself.

"I must," she said at last. "I never was so happy as when at Molsheim with the good sisters, and far from the world. It must be."

She spoke in great agitation. I was going to ask her the cause of her sudden determination, when she went on,

"I have come to beg you will inform my father of my intention, Monsieur Florent; pray do so in the name of the old affection you bore me. I dare not; he is so violent he frightens me."

She said this hesitatingly. “Listen to me, Louise." I said, after having collected my thoughts. "All this

does not seem natural. In the first place, you are ill, and in such a state it is wrong to take extreme resolutions; it is an insult to God. Do you hear me? When the Almighty accepts a sacrifice, it has been made with single-heartedness, and by beings who are in the full possession of all their senses. I repeat that this is not your present condition. You cannot now measure the extent of the offering you fancy you are ready to make. There is something you have not told me. What is it?"

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She did not answer.

"You will not tell?" I asked, after a pause, during which she had turned her face aside and looked paler than before. Well, I know what it is- - the whole village knows too. You do not want to marry Monsieur Lebel, and you think you will take a desperate resolve in order to elude your father's wishes. I will consent to give him your message simply to alarm him and see what he will say, that's all."

"Indeed, Monsieur Florent, I have quite made up my mind to take the veil."

"Well, well, we'll see," I cried. "George was quite correct; it is an abomination, a disgrace, a shame!"

I had never been in such a passion in my life. My voice must have been heard in the next room, even in the street. I had got up and was walking up and down like the Rantzaus. When I mentioned George's name Louise blushed.

"Did George speak of me?" she asked.

"Yes; he said you would be driven. into doing a wicked thing, but that, being a Rantzau, he had firm trust in your will, and that finally you would not allow yourself to be sacrificed, and would refuse to hold your hand out to such a bargain."

"Did he really say all this?" "Yes, and he was quite right. The best people will take your part. I'll go and tell your father. I am not afraid. I shall say you are about to go away; that you will never come back; that you will go down into your tomb alive for ever! You will see he will be compelled to give in."

for ever,

"But I do assure you, Monsieur Florent, that I have made up my mind; that I wish to devote myself entirely to the service of God, and that

"Allons! you will do what you like afterwards," I replied very angrily. "The first thing is to get free. You are not going to choose between the Almighty and the head-keeper. That is not the way to

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