The Makers of Modern Rome, in Four BooksOliphant, Mrs. (Margaret)
History
The Makers of Modern Rome, in Four Books
Oliphant, Mrs. (Margaret)
Rome (Italy) -- History -- 476-1420
This is not flattering; but one can imagine something very like it
coming from the lips of an Italian Maestro in our own day. The
tradition goes that Gregory himself instructed the choristers, for
whom he had established schools endowed each with its little property,
one in the precincts of St. Peter's, the other in those of St. John
Lateran, where his own residence was. And a couch is still shown on
which he lay while giving or superintending their lessons, and even
the whip with which he is said to have threatened the singers when
they made false notes. The last is little in accord with the Pope's
character, and we can scarcely imagine the twang through the air of
any whip in Gregory's hand: but it is probably as true as other more
agreeable circumstances of the legend. One can scarcely believe
however that amid his multitudinous occupations he could have had time
for more than a flying visit to the schools, however they might
interest him.
Nor did he limit his exertions on behalf of ritual to the arrangement
of the music. We are told that the Missal of Pope Gelasius then used
in the Church was revised by him, and that he took away much, altered
some things and added a little, among other things a confession of
faith or _Credo_ of his own writing, which is something between the
Athanasian and Nicene Creeds. The Ordinary of the Mass remains now,
another authority tells us, very much as it came from his hands. Thus
his immediate authority and the impress of his mind remain on things
which are still in daily use.
[Illustration: MONTE PINCIO, FROM THE PIAZZA DEL POPOLO.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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