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Original Source Document
 * Frederick Douglass Diary - page 23 of 72**

that church what time has done for the vast structures of kingly pride and power, which lie broken and mouldering all over Rome. From the rooms in which we sat these costly vestments we were conducted to a room on the opposite side of the great church, in which we were shown two of the veritable Thorns which pierced the brow of Jesus on the day of his crucifixion, a casket containing the head of St Luke, the shin bones of Lazarus the brother of Mary and Martha, and a lock of the hair of the Virgin Mother of Jesus. These were shown us by a gowned Priest who seemed to believe what he said. He also showed us a piece of the cross upon which Jesus was crucified. In passing about the grand Cathedral we saw sundry celebrations of mass going on men and women bowing and crossing themselves, and some kissing the toe of the Statue of St. Peter. Which toe has already been nearly kissed away. Tuesday 25th Went to the Vatican saw among other great pictures, a modern one proclaiming the new dogma of the immaculate conception of the Virgin, the mother of Jesus. The commencement of this fresh tax upon the credulity of the faithful in this picture is well calculated to impress favorably the devout Catholic
 * Transcribed Text**