MORE ITALIAN YESTERDAYS
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ITALIAN YESTERDAYS
BY
MRS. HUGH FRASER
AUTHOR OF
“ITALIAN YESTERDAYS,” “A DIPLOMATIST’S WIFE IN JAPAN,”
“A DIPLOMATIST’S WIFE IN MANY LANDS,”
“FURTHER REMINISCENCES OF A DIPLOMATIST’S
WIFE,” ETC., ETC.
WITH SIXTEEN ILLUSTRATIONS IN PHOTOGRAVURE
LONDON
HUTCHINSON & CO.
PATERNOSTER ROW
1915
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CONTENTS
CHAPTER ISAINTS OF THE CHURCH
A Friend in Rome—A story of two ways of loving—Aglaëand Boniface—Become Christians—A new life—Bonifaceendures terrible tortures—Martyrdom—Death ofAglaë—Church of St. Boniface—Alexis, the pilgrim—Histravels—Return to Rome—A ragged beggar—His death andburial in St. Boniface’s Church—St. Alexis’Monastery—Trials of the Church afterConstantine—Rome’s lowest ebb—Growth of the spiritualcity—Benedict the Blessed, and Scholastica pp. 1-15
CHAPTER IIFOUNDER OF MONASTICISM
Norcia in the Sabines—A matrona—The twins, Benedictand Scholastica—Benedict goes to Rome—Conversion ofPlacidus—Benedict’s retirement to La Mentorella—Lifein a cave—Temptations—Visit of St. Francis—Benedict’sministering—Real founder of monastic life—Growth ofhis order—Placidus and Maurus—St. Benedict’s personalityand conversions—His ideal of the religious life—His greatestmiracles—His sister, Scholastica—The last day together—Hisascension pp. 16-38
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CHAPTER IIIST. GREGORY THE GREAT
Birth and lineage of St. Gregory—Path from the world to thecloister—Prayer, study, and charity—His cat—A prophecy—ACardinal Deacon—Mission to Constantinople—Eutyches’heresy—Rome in pestilence—Gregory elected Pope—Hisunbelievable accomplishments—His life as Pope—Championshipof the oppressed—Bond with English-speakingpeople—The great procession during the pestilence—Gregory’ssuccessors pp. 39-54
CHAPTER IVMEMORIES OF THE PANTHEON
The Pantheon—Hadrian’s best monument—Long idle—Consecratedas St. Mary of the Martyrs—The Cathedral, thesymbol of the soul—Its purification—Continuity of theChurch—A priest’s visit—The alabaster square—Processionof the martyr’s relics—Giovanni Borgi, the workman—ItalianGuilds—Giovanni’s selflessness—His rescue ofthe forsaken children—Care of them—Crusade in behalfof all the waifs of Rome—His work of love—Giovanni’ssuccessor, later Pius IX