the sacred chapel stands due east and west, at the farther end of a large church of the most durable stone of istria, which has been built around it. this may be considered as the external covering, or as a kind of great coat to the casa santa, which has a smaller coat of more precious materials and workmanship nearer its body. this internal covering, or case, is of the choicest marble, after a plan of san savino’s, and ornamented with basso relievos, the workmanship of the best sculptors which italy could furnish in the reign of leo the tenth. the subject of those basso relievos are, the history of the blessed virgin, and other parts of the bible. the whole case is about fifty feet long, thirty in breadth, and the same in height; but the real house itself is no more than[341] thirty-two feet in length, fourteen in breadth, and at the sides, about eighteen feet in height; the centre of the roof is four or five feet higher. the walls of this little holy chapel are composed of pieces of a reddish substance, of an oblong square shape, laid one upon another, in the manner of brick. at first sight, on a superficial view, these red-coloured oblong substances appear to be nothing else than common italian bricks; and, which is still more extraordinary, on a second and third view, with all possible attention, they still have the same appearance. there is not, however, as we were assured, a single particle of brick in their whole composition, being entirely of a stone, which, though it cannot now be found in palestine, was formerly very common, particularly in the neighbourhood of nazareth. there is a small interval between the walls of the ancient house, and the marble case. the workmen, at first, intended them to be in[342] contact, from an opinion, founded either upon gross ignorance or infidelity, that the former stood in need of support from the latter; but the marble either started back of itself, from such impious familiarity, being conscious of its unworthiness; or else was thrust back by the coyness of the virgin brick, it is not said which. but it has certainly kept at a proper distance ever since. while we examined the basso relievos of the marble case, we were not a little incommoded by the numbers of pilgrims who were constantly crawling around it on their knees, kissing the ground, and saying their prayers with great fervour. as they crept along, they discovered some degree of eagerness to be nearest the wall; not, i am persuaded, with a view of saving their own labour, by contracting the circumference of their circuit; but from an idea that the evolutions they were performing, would be the more beneficial to their souls, the nearer they[343] were to the sacred house. this exercise is continued in proportion to the zeal and strength of the patient.
above the door there is an inscription; by which it appears, that any person who enters with arms is, ipso facto, excommunicated.
ingredientes cum armis sunt excommunicati.
there are also the severest denunciations against those who carry away the smallest particle of the stone and mortar belonging to this chapel. the adventure of the burnt breeches, and others of a similar nature, which are industriously circulated, have contributed as much as any denunciation, to prevent such attempts. had it not been for the impressions they make, so great was the eagerness of the multitude to be possessed of any portion of this little edifice, that the whole was in danger of being carried away; not by angels, but piecemeal in the pockets of the pilgrims.
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the holy house is divided, within, into two unequal portions, by a kind of grate-work of silver. the division towards the west is about three-fourths of the whole; that to the east is called the sanctuary. in the larger division, which may be considered as the main body of the house, the walls are left bare, to shew the true original fabric of nazareth stone. these stones, which bear such a strong resemblance to bricks, are loose in many places. i took notice of this to a pilgrim, who entered with us: he smiled, saying, “che la non habbia paura, padron mio, questi muri sono piu solidi degli appenini.” at the lower, or western wall, there is a window, the same through which the angel gabriel entered at the annunciation. the architraves of this window are covered with silver. there are a great number of golden and silver lamps in this chapel; i did not count them, but i was told there were above sixty; one of them is a present from the republic of venice: it is of gold, and[345] weighs thirty-seven pounds: some of the silver lamps weigh from one hundred and twenty, to one hundred and thirty pounds. at the upper end of the largest room is an altar, but so low, that from it you may see the famous image which stands over the chimney, in the small room, or sanctuary. golden and silver angels, of considerable size, kneel around her, some offering hearts of gold, enriched with diamonds, and one an infant of pure gold. the wall of the sanctuary is plated with silver, and adorned with crucifixes, precious stones, and votive gifts of various kinds. the figure of the virgin herself by no means corresponds with the fine furniture of her house: she is a little woman, about four feet in height, with the features and complexion of a negro. of all the sculptors that ever existed, assuredly st. luke, by whom this figure is said to have been made, is the least of a flatterer; and nothing can be a stronger proof of the blessed virgin’s contempt for external[346] beauty, than her being satisfied with this representation of her; especially if, as i am inclined to believe, her face and person really resembled those beautiful ideas of her, conveyed by the pencils of raphael, corregio, and guido. the figure of the infant jesus, by st. luke, is of a piece with that of the virgin: he holds a large golden globe in one hand, and the other is extended in the act of blessing. both figures have crowns on their heads, enriched with diamonds; these were presents from ann of austria, queen of france. both arms of the virgin are inclosed within her robes, and no part but her face is to be seen; her dress is most magnificent, but in a wretched bad taste: this is not surprising, for she has no female attendant. she has particular clothes for the different feasts held in honour of her, and, which is not quite so decent, is always dressed and undressed by the priests belonging to the chapel; her robes are ornamented with all kinds of precious stones, down to the hem of her garment.
[347]
there is a small place behind the sanctuary, into which we were also admitted. this is a favour seldom refused to strangers of a decent appearance. in this they shew the chimney, and some other furniture, which, they pretend, belonged to the virgin when she lived at nazareth; particularly a little earthen porringer, out of which the infant used to eat. the pilgrims bring rosaries, little crucifixes, and agnus dei’s, which the obliging priest shakes for half a minute in this dish; after which, it is believed, they acquire the virtue of curing various diseases, and prove an excellent preventative of all temptations of satan. the gown which the image had on when the chapel arrived from nazareth, is of red camblet, and carefully kept in a glass shrine.
above a hundred masses are daily said in this chapel, and in the church in which it stands. the music we heard in the[348] chapel was remarkably fine. a certain number of the chaplains are eunuchs, who perform the double duty of singing the offices in the choir, and saying masses at the altar. the canonical law, which excludes persons in their situation from the priesthood, is eluded by a very extraordinary expedient, which i shall leave you to guess.
the jewels and riches to be seen at any one time in the holy chapel, are of small value in comparison of those in the treasury, which is a large room adjoining to the vestry of the great church. in the presses of this room are kept those presents which royal, noble, and rich bigots of all ranks have, by oppressing their subjects, and injuring their families, sent to this place. to enumerate every particular, would fill volumes. they consist of various utensils, and other things in silver and gold; as lamps, candlesticks, goblets, crowns, and crucifixes; lambs, eagles, saints, apostles,[349] angels, virgins, and infants: then there are cameos, pearls, gems, and precious stones of all kinds, and in great numbers. what is valued above all the other jewels is, the miraculous pearl, wherein they assert, that nature has given a faithful delineation of the virgin, sitting on a cloud, with the infant jesus in her arms. i freely acknowledge, that i did see something like a woman with a child in her arms; but whether nature intended this as a portrait of the virgin mary, or not, i will not take upon me to say; yet i will candidly confess (though, perhaps, some of my friends in the north, may think it is saying too much in support of the popish opinion) that the figure in this pearl bore as great a likeness to some pictures i have seen of the virgin, as to any female of my acquaintance.
there was not room in the presses of the treasury, to hold all the silver pieces which have been presented to the virgin.[350] several other presses in the vestry, they told us, were completely full, and they made offer to shew them; but our curiosity was already satiated.
it is said, that those pieces are occasionally melted down, by his holiness, for the use of the state; and also, that the most precious of the jewels are picked out, and sold for the same purpose, false stones being substituted in their room. this is an affair entirely between the virgin and the pope: if she does not, i know no other person who has a right to complain.
