CEREMONY OF THE INITIATION OF A NUN.
The disposition to take the veil, even among young girls, is not uncommon in Brazil. The opposition of friends can prevent it, until they are twenty-five years old; but after that time they are considered competent to decide for themselves. A writer describes the initiation of a young lady, whose wealthy parents were extremely reluctant to have her take the vow. She held a lighted torch in her hand, in imitation of the prudent virgins; and when the priest chanted, “Your spouse approaches; come forth and meet him,” she approached the altar singing, “I follow with my whole heart;” and, accompanied by two nuns already professed, she knelt before the bishop. She seemed [p134] very lovely, with an unusually sweet, gentle, and pensive countenance. She did not look particularly or deeply affected; but when she sung her responses, there was something exceedingly mournful in the soft, tremulous, and timid tones of her voice. The bishop now exhorted her to make a public profession of her vows before the congregation, and said, “Will you persevere in your purpose of holy chastity?” She blushed deeply, and, with a downcast look, lowly, but firmly answered, “I will.” He again said, more distinctly, “Do you promise to preserve it?” and she replied more emphatically, “I do promise.” The bishop then said, “Thanks be to God;” and she bent forward and reverently kissed his hand, while he asked her, “Will you be blest and consecrated?” She replied, “Oh! I wish it.”
The habiliments, in which she was hereafter to be clothed, were sanctified by the aspersion of holy water: then followed several prayers to God, that “As he had blessed the garments of Aaron, with ointment which flowed from his head to his beard, so he would now bless the garments of his servant, with the copious dew of his benediction.” When the garment was thus blessed, the girl retired with it; and having laid aside the dress in which she had appeared, she returned, arrayed in her new attire, except her veil. A gold ring was next provided, and consecrated with a prayer, that she who wore it “might be fortified with celestial virtue, to preserve a pure faith, and incorrupt fidelity to her spouse, Jesus Christ.” He last took the veil, and her female attendants having uncovered her head, he threw it over her, so that it fell on her shoulders and bosom, and said, “Receive this sacred veil, under the shadow of which you may learn to despise the world, and submit yourself truly, and with all humility of heart, to your Spouse;” to [p135] which she sung a response, in a very sweet, soft, and touching voice: “He has placed this veil before my face that I should see no lover but himself.”
The bishop now kindly took her hand, and held it while the following hymn was chanted by the choir with great harmony: “Beloved Spouse, come—the winter is passed—the turtle sings, and the blooming vines are redolent of summer.”
A crown, a necklace, and other female ornaments, were now taken by the bishop and separately blessed; and the girl bending forward, he placed them on her head and neck, praying that she might be thought worthy “to be enrolled into the society of the hundred and forty-four thousand virgins, who preserved their chastity and did not mix with the society of impure women.”
Last of all, he placed the ring on the middle finger of her right hand, and solemnly said, “So I marry you to Jesus Christ, who will henceforth be your protector. Receive this ring, the pledge of your faith, that you may be called the spouse of God.” She fell on her knees, and sung, “I am married to him whom angels serve, whose beauty the sun and moon admire;” then rising, and showing with exultation her right hand, she said, emphatically, as if to impress it on the attention of the congregation, “My Lord has wedded me with this ring, and decorated me with a crown as his spouse. I here renounce and despise all earthly ornaments for his sake, whom alone I see, whom alone I love, in whom alone I trust, and to whom alone I give all my affections. My heart hath uttered a good word: I speak of the deed I have done for my King.” The bishop then pronounced a general benediction, and retired up to the altar; while the nun professed was borne off between her friends, with lighted tapers, and garlands waving.
[p136]
WEDDED LOVE IS INFINITELY PREFERABLE TO VARIETY.
Hail, wedded love, mysterious law, true source
Of human offspring, sole propriety,
In Paradise of all things common else!
By thee adult’rous lust was driven from men,
Among the bestial herds to range; by thee,
Founded in reason, loyal, just and pure,
Relations dear, and all the charities
Of father, son, and brother, first were known.
Thou art the fountain of domestic sweets,
Whose bed is undefiled and chaste pronounced.
Here Love his golden shafts employs, here lights
His constant lamp, and waves his purple wings,
Reigns here and revels; not in the bought smile
Of harlots, loveless, joyless, unendear’d,
Casual fruition; nor in court amours,
Mix’d dance, or wanton mask, or midnight ball,
Or serenade, which the starved lover sings
To his proud fair, best quitted with disdain.