Harper's New Monthly Magazine, No. XXVII, August 1852, Vol. V — John Shaqi
Harper's New Monthly Magazine, No. XXVII, August 1852, Vol. VVarious
History
Harper's New Monthly Magazine, No. XXVII, August 1852, Vol. V
Various
American literature -- Periodicals; Civilization -- Periodicals; Culture -- Periodicals
The Archbishop of Sicily, after a long hearing of the parties to
this dispute, refused to interpose, and finally the case was carried
by the Carmelites to Rome, and laid before a certain board of the
Roman church called the College of Rites, a sort of tribunal having
jurisdiction of all questions of this nature that might arise in the
Catholic church, and assume sufficient importance to come before
them. Here the Carmelites brought forward their cause, and offered
their complaints in language more earnest than ever. They
represented in very strong terms the deep dishonor which the
Basilians were inflicting upon them in publicly exhibiting the
prophet Elijah--the patriarch and the father of their order--dressed
in a cloak, and wearing a red cap upon his head, as if he were a
Turkish pashaw. To give force and emphasis to their plea they
exhibited to the sacred college before whom the cause was to be
tried, a representation of the picture, colored like the original,
in order that the judges might see for themselves how flagrant was
the wrong which they endured, and how much cause they had to
complain. After many long and patient hearings of the case before
the college, and many fruitless attempts to find some mode
satisfactory to all parties, for settling the dispute, the college
finally decided upon a middle course, a sort of forced compromise
which gave the victory to neither party. The costume of the painting
was ordered to be changed. The cap was to be taken away from the
head, and the sandals from the feet, and the red cloak was to be
replaced by one of a saffron color. The tunic of skin was to be
retained, and it was to be bound about the waist with a leathern
girdle. A new picture was accordingly painted in accordance with
this decision, as represented in the above engraving. The
controversy occupied ten years; it gave rise to protracted and
voluminous proceedings, and embroiled a great number of partisans
among all ranks and orders of the church: and by comparing the two
engravings the reader will see at a glance the amount of the
difference about which the combatants were contending. It might
excite surprise in our minds that a large section of the Christian
church could thus be engaged for ten years in an earnest, expensive,
and bitter controversy about the costume of a painting, were it not
that we sometimes see examples at the present day, of disputes
equally earnest and protracted, about points smaller and more
shadowy still. It ought, however, in strict justice to be said that
the real questions at issue in disputes about religious rites and
forms, are not usually as insignificant as they seem. Within and
beyond the outward symbol there usually lies some principle of
religious faith, which is, after all, the real object of the
controversy. In this case, for example, the comparative claims to
antiquity and pre-eminence on the part of two powerful religious
orders constituted the real question at issue. The costume of the
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account