working images, winking madonnas, and apparitions resembling
the Virgin Mary. For not a few delusions the priests and nuns are
responsible. We are not speaking without authority. The Very Rev.
Father A. Vincent Jandel, General of the Dominican Order, addressed
from Rome a circular letter in 1870 to all the provincials of his
order, giving an account of what he considered a wonderful occurrence
that took place at Soriano, in Calabria. There is at Soriano a
celebrated Sanctuary of St. Dominic, and in the church an ancient
image of that saint, life-size, carved in wood, held in high
veneration. On the 15th of September of that year, which is its festa,
another image of wood is carried processionally with much pomp. Thirty
persons, who had remained after the conclusion of the solemnity to
pray before the ancient image, suddenly perceived it to move, as if
alive. It came forward, then retreated, and turned towards the image
of the Virgin of the Holy Rosary. The cry of "St. Dominic! St.
Dominic! A miracle! a miracle!" burst from every lip. The wonderful
news sped like lightning through the town. Men and women left their
occupations to crowd to the sanctuary; and soon no fewer than two
thousand persons had witnessed the strange movements, which continued
for about an hour and a half, amidst prayers, tears, and acclamations.

To the great joy of the monks of the Holy Trinity, in 1871, two
madonnas, in an obscure, out-of-the-way church of St. Grisogono, in
Trastevere, melted multitudes to tears by the miraculous movements and
expressions of their eyes. The most remarkable in its exercises was an
oil painting in the interior of the church. To such a height did the
excitement reach amongst the crowd privileged to witness it, that the
friars judged it prudent to bring its performances to a close by
removing it from the church, and shutting it up in a press in the
convent. The second madonna is a fresco in the open piazza as one
approaches the church and convent. It is a recent painting, of
life-size, with eyes lowered on the spectators looking at it from
below, in such a manner that the movements of the pupils (if movements
there be) should be very sensible. The madonna is but one of three
figures on the fresco. On her right is John the Baptist in the dress
of the monks of the establishment, and on the left Pio Nono as
Pontiff. This madonna began to move its eyes as soon as its companion
was locked up, and the wonder lasted for man