July 7, 1946
In July of 1946, a native of Boston named Francesca Bertolami traveled to Rome to be present at the canonization of her namesake, Mother Francesca Cabrini. While there she wrote three letters to friends back in the U.S. describing her experience. Today, to honor the day when Mother Cabrini was entered into the catalog of saints, we share the letter describing the ceremony.
Grand Hotel, Rome
July 7, 1946
Dear _____,
Rome is the possessor of everything that is great and remarkable. How pallid are the words used to describe it. Here, one seems to touch the height of spiritual mysticism, only to find that it eludes and baffles, until FAITH extends a hand and leads one safely back to earthly understanding. There is no crossing the line unless one is a Saint and a Saint is a true servant of God who can live among us, work among us, and sometimes, is even recognized in our time.
Sunday, July 7th, 1946 dawned in Rome, serene and radiant. It was the day for the sanctification of a modern heroine, a citizen of the United States and one of the greatest women in the world, Francesca Cabrini. She was born on July 13, 1850 and died December 22, 1917 in the Columbus Hospital in Chicago. Sixty-seven years of life on earth in which she accomplished with unbelievable rapidity, tremendous missionary works.
The Basilica of St. Peter has for many centuries been destined for solemn canonizations. It is a very ancient custom to decorate the Basilica with great splendor for such an occasion. Today, it was not only adorned with damask and gold, for most of the people who attended added their spiritual adornment by receiving communion in honor of this great woman who was to be sanctified. From early morning the churches in Rome were thronged with communicants.
The Grand Hotel, Rome
I arose at five this morning and went to the Church of Our Lady of Victory for Communion. I came back to the hotel and after breakfast changed my clothes into the traditional black with a black lace mantilla to cover my head. All through the Grand Hotel I could hear the scurrying of everyone, for no one who was able to did not attend the ceremony. There was a peculiar unawareness to all action. I felt borne or wafted along. At 7 :30 I joined my friends and got into the car that had been waiting for us. As it wended its way through the crowd I regretted that I had not decided to walk, at least from the beginning of the Piazza San Pietro to the Basilica-for here, thousands and thousands of people were surging toward this magnificent church with a reverent hush.
The colors were beautiful! There were people dressed in black, some in all white, Priests dressed in black, purple and red, their black hats gleaming in the morning sun. The picturesque Franciscan, bearded, in brown garb and sandalled feet, contrasted gently with U. S. Army brown and U. S. Navy blue, nattily carried off by our own service men. Everyone had something to add to the profusion of individuality. There were Romans from the city, quietly bejeweled, Romans from the country poorly dressed and carrying small baskets of food, for their journey had been long and some had waited on the square throughout the entire night. There was Roman aristocracy, young and old, and they too, lent their distinction to the impressive picture.
Pilgrims from America, China, France, Spain, England and many other countries all over the world were there, too. Shoes seemed to be padded, for as the people walked on the cobblestones hardly a sound could be heard. Even the cab drivers were not blowing their horns!
The moment I entered the Basilica I felt like a child transported into fairyland. How else is it possible to explain the lights, music, rugs, draperies,
A scene from the canonization Mass for St. Frances Cabrini at St. Peter’s in Rome on July 7, 1946
tribunals, paintings, statuary, mosaics – such mere words, set down in a series to denote the BRILLIANCE and the GLORY and the BEAUTY and the OMNIPOTENCE of GOD manifested to us through His Church on earth. St. Peter the proud custodian of the gates of heaven sat majestically enthroned and dressed in his best robes to do honor to our American saint. This enormous bronze statue of St. Peter whose left foot has been worn smooth by the kisses given in tribute to him by every devout Catholic who seeks him out in the Basilica, is a treasure. Five hundred chandeliers, each having twenty-five lighted candles illuminated the Basilica. The chandelier directly over the altar weighed five tons and had four hundred lights. There were four tiers of electric candles in each of the arch of the Saints and there was a huge spotlight focused on the high altar. Many of these brilliant installations were especially put in for this function. Red damask carpeted the papal throne especially built before the altar of the Cardinals.
Present at the canonization were twenty Cardinals, forty-five Bishops and Archbishops, numerous Monsignori and an untold number of priests and nuns.
“How many people are here?” I asked a guard who was close to me. “In the Basilica, about fifty thousand,” he answered, gesturing with his hand that this was a most conservative estimate.
As my eyes swept over the ceiling of the Basilica I noted that over the Gloria of Bernini was a painting of the Sacred Heart to Whom Mother Cabrini directed all her thoughts and actions. The Sacred Heart was depicted over the ocean and the insignia of the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart was also present to point out the many times Mother Cabrini had crossed the ocean.
Placed near the altar was a painting of Mother Cabrini at the feet of Pope Leo the 13th receiving her orders to go to America when he said to her those famous and unforgettable words-“Not to the Orient but to the Occident.” On the other side of the altar was a painting of the Saint in all her glory.
The procession started at 8 A.M. and as the banner of Mother Cabrini was brought in there was much applause and many shouts “‘Fa dei miracoli.” “She will work miracles,” they cried.
Pope Pius XII entering St. Peter’s Basilica for the ceremony
Just as the Pope entered the Basilica on his gestatorial chair, the shouts of VIVA IL PAPA … VIVA IL PAPA … reverberated throughout the Basilica and the applause was thunderous. Wave, after wave, after wave, of applause, and shouts of VIVA IL PAPA greeted him, until even the famous St. Peter’s choir could not be heardI was fortunate in having a seat in the Tribunal between the two special thrones set up for the Pope and facing the altar over the Tomb of St. Peter. T he Pope alone says Mass on this altar. Sometime for a special occasion a Cardinal is allowed to say Mass here. I hardly knew where to place my eyes first. Every passing moment was taking away with it an enormous spiritual significance and I knew that here I could the answer to Life and the meaning of it.
Before the canonization ceremony began, the Holy Father had gone to the Pauline Chapel for the adoration of the Holy Sacrament. Then he proceeded to the Sistine Chapel where he intoned the Ave Maris Stella. After that he joined the procession which entered St. Peter’s through the main door. Representatives of the Clergy and laity of Rome participated in the procession and were led by Archbishop Traglia. The Papal Court and members of the Papal Chapel with the Gentilhommes and prelates in their brilliant uniforms came next. There was also a Deacon and a Subdeacon of the Greek Rite who during Mass repeated in Greek the Epistle and the Gospel.
The Head Confessors of the Vatican Basilica were preceded by two clerks carrying long penitential sticks on which lay a beautiful bouquet of flowers. Around the Holy Father were Staff Officers of the Noble Guard with the Commander wearing his scarlet uniform and the Swiss Guard carrying gigantic medieval swords. The Holy Father dressed in robes of gold carried a lighted candle in his left hand and blessed us with his right.
How gracefully and untiringly that blessed hand moved and shining through his eyes was the love and the light of the Holy Ghost!
His Holiness was preceded by a long series of Abbots and Bishops as well as Cardinals wearing rich robes adorned in silver and gold. The procession went up the central aisle of the Basilica up to the Papal throne which was erected at the end of the apse.
After the Cardinals and, Bishops paid homage to the. Holy Father, the consistorial lawyers proceeded to the Throne and three times begged of him to deign himself to elevate Francesca Cabrini to the honors of the Saints. The petition was then repeated earnestly, more earnestly, most earnestly, that Mother Cabrini be sainted. The assistance of the Saints and the Light of the Holy Ghost were invoked. This, I was told, is usually done by the singing of the Litanies of the Saints and the Veni Creator. On this particular occasion, as the litanies had already been sung by the multitude of people in the Basilica during the first part of the ceremony-there was only one postulation followed by the hymn of the Holy Ghost, intonated by the Holy Father.
Then came the solemn proclamation that Francesca Cabrini is in heaven and her name inscribed in the catalogue of Saints and that the 22nd day of December was selected as her feast day. The choir then chanted the Te Deum, the Holy Father gave us his blessing- and suddenly– the sonorous bells of the Basilica pealed forth and all of the bells of the churches in Rome rang simultaneously.
Acutely, almost painfully aware of the importance of the moment! had just witnessed, I clasped my bands to my breast and said-“Thank you, dear God.”
“Congratulations, dear Mother Cabrini.” “Pray for us, St. Frances Xavier Cabrini.”
Pope Pius XII at the canonization Mass
The Holy Father then celebrated Mass. During the Offertory the Postulation and the Cardinal Prefect of the Congregation of Rites went to the Throne of the Pope and offe red to him the following gifts-a gold keg of wine and a silver keg of water, gold and silver loaves of bread, gilded cages in gold and silver in which there were turtle doves, pigeons and birds. These were followed with relics and garments of the Saint and huge painted candles.
An unusual feature in the Mass was the singing of the Epistle and Gospel in both Latin and Greek. This demonstrated the universality of the church and the union of the East and West.
The most solemn moment was the elevation of the host. Unlike a priest at a regular Mass the Pope elevated the Host and the chalice of the Precious Blood so that the entire congregation could venerate it. As the Pope raised the Sacred shining Host to the fervently praying congregation, a composition of Silvieri exculsively reserved for the Papal Mass was played on silver trumpets. It was an angelic chorus that descended from that great dome. His Holiness received Holy Communion by drinking the Precious Blood through a golden reed.
When the Mass was over the Pope again imparted his benediction and as the Papal procession reassembled to return to the Vatican Palace the silver trumpets again were heard in the Hymn to the Pope.
As the procession slowly left the Basilica and the Pope was raised high in the sedia gestatoria, again the shouts of VIVA IL PAPA … VIVA IL PAPA … and the thunderous applause accompanied him out to the Vatican Palace. That continuous cry of Viva il Papa, which I heard repeated so many times wrung my heart. It voiced the sufferings of the recent war, which instead of having embittered the mind and heart of this noble people strengthened the love for Christ and devotion to Him through His Vicar on earth. To me, it seemed to say, “Viva, we have suffered but our faith and love is strong.”
It took some time to go out into the Piazza again. Everyone left slowly, very slowly. The oneness of thought and feeling was entrancing. Planes overhead were dropping leaflets on which were stamped a picture of Mother Cabrini and a small violet. I caught one as it came whirling down through the air—It read “Work my sisters, for you have an eternity, in which to rest.”
Just then, behind me, several hundred Cabrini nuns came out of the Basilica joyfully singing hymns of praise to their Sister in heaven-Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini.
Well dear ___, it was tremendously and indescribably beautiful. I wonder if Longfellow had a canonization in mind when he wrote:
ROME
“Tis the centre
To which all gravitates.
One finds no rest Elsewhere than here.
There may be other cities
That please us for a while, but Rome alone Completely satisfies.
It becomes to all a second native land by predilection,
And not by accident of birth alone.”
Yours,
FRANCESCA
