Pronaos is the ante-temple of Greek churches, and corresponds to the narthex (q. v.).
Prone (prceconium) is the publication in the pulpit of banns of marriage, pastoral letters, coming fasts and feasts, and a sermon (the dominicale, or homily for Sun- day) after the Gospel, in the Romish Church.
Prono, an idol of the ancient Sclavonians, wor- shipped at Altenburg, in Germany. It was a statue erected on a column, holding in one hand a plough- share, and in the other a spear and a standard. Its head was crowned, its ears prominent, and under one of its feet was suspended a little bell. Gerold. Chris- tian bishop of Altenburg, destroyed this idol with his own hand, and cut down the grove in which it was worshipped. — Gardner, Faiths of the World.
Pronviba, a surname of Juno (q. v.) among the Ro- mans of antiquity, because she was the goddess who presided over marriage.
Propaganda is a name appropriate to any insti- tution intended for the propagation of a doctrine, but it is especially applied in ecclesiastical language to an institution for the propagation of the Roman Catholic faith. The chief institution of this kind is at Rome, and it consists of a congregation and a college. Its
PROPAGANDA
630 PROPAGATION OF THE FAITH
full title is De Propaganda Fide, i. e. "concerning the propagation of the faith." Its object is to direct and forward the propagation of the Roman Catholic relig- ion, especially among the heat Inn. Gregory XIII i [572 1584), "iif of the popes who exerted themselves most zealously for the expansion of the Christian faith, 1, id .In. cted that a number of cardinals should be in- trusted with the direction of the Oriental missions, and caused catechisms and other religious books to be print- ed for the use of Oriental Christians, But as the re- sources required for .such a purpose were wanting, the matter could not have its proper development. Pope Gregory XV, desirous that this good work, so well be- gun, should be continued, established, by a bull of June ■-'-_', 1622, a congregation of cardinals, under the name above mentioned, and intrusted to it the direction of the whole Catholic missionary system. Every month they assembled once in the Vatican, and twice al the residence of the eldest. Besides some stipends of less importance, the pope presented the new institution with the 500 ducats which at the death of a cardinal accrue to the pontifical treasure. His successor, Urban VIII (1623 If, Hi. increased its privileges and income, and founded the Seminarium (or Collegium | de Propaganda Fide, to which young men from all nations are broughl at an early age and gratuitously instructed and fitted out for the missionary work. This college was subor- dinated entirely to the Congregation, and a splendid palace was built lor both institutions. Through the provident care of the popes, and pious foundations made by the cardinals and other benefactors, the seminary grew to a most flourishing condition; and even in our days, when the income and foundations which support it have been considerably diminished by the State, un- der the new order of things, it entertains, instructs, and trains for missionary life nearly 200 young men from all quarters of the world. The alumni pledge them- selves to serve the Church among the heathen, and are < sec rated to this function. All rites actually sub- sisting in the Catholic Church (besides the Latin rite. the Armenian, Greek-Melchitic, Syrian, Coptic, Maro- uitic, and Chaldaic rites) are represented in the semi- nary by alumni from the corresponding provinces, and present every year, at the feast of Epiphany (Jan. 6), an imposing .spectacle, called the Feast of the Languages. This feast is celebrated by an exhibition of exceeding interest and curiosity, in w hich are delivered recitations in every language represented in the college or its mis- sions, amounting often to fifty or sixty. Of this festi- val the celebrated cardinal Mezzofanti (q. v. ) used to be the guiding spirit, as well as to strangers its chief cen- tre ol attraction. It continues to be one of the chief literary sights of the Roman winter. In 1873 the col- lege al Rome was deprived of its landed estate and made dependent, upon private contributions.
With the congregation and college are connected, l. a library rich in precious works, especially translations ot all kinds ol important works in Chinese ami Ori- ental manuscripts; 2, a printing-office (richer formerly than it is now), in which the books required by the missionaries and the missionary work are printed in all foreign languages ("Ha quests congregazione una fa-
mosa stamperia co' caratteri di tutte le nazi i ; ne si
trovera altra stamperia (die nella varieta di tanti carat- teri 1' agguagli," says Zaccaria, in his book Delia Cortt di Roma Koine. 177 1 | i; ;;. a remarkable museum, filled with a great variety of objects and monuments, mostlj intries visited and converted by the missiona- ries. I he congregation, which answers .somewhat to a Protestant missionary board, consists (lf a president, managing secretary (all of cardinal's rank), an apostolic prothonotary, twenty-four cardinals appointed for life, 1 'i « horn is prefect, and who are assisted by a num- ber of e, ,u, niters (partly monastics and partly clergy), clerks (minutanti), and other officials. Originally their
were held weekly, and ill I he presence of the pope; now they are monthly, there being, I