The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1886-06-26 00:00:00

THE POPE AT HOME.

A correspondent who has had many advantages of
knowing the interior of the Vatican thus describes the
everyday life of Pope Leo XIII. : Unlike his prede-
cessor, Leo XIII. has a great predilection for those
grand displays of pomp and ceremony which are
nowhere seen to such advantage as at the Papal
Court. Every day when he drives out in the immense
Vatican gardens his noble guards and his chamber-
lains attend him on horseback, and the cortege is
quite a large one. The greatest solemnity of the
year, however, is the anniversary of his succession.
It is the only day on which he Pope appears wearing
the tiara or triple crown. The latter, however, is
not very becoming, for his face is too thin and deli-
cate for such heavy and majestic headgear. On this
occasion everybody appears en grande tenue. After
all the imposing retinue of priests, bishops, and car-
dinals, the Pope appears borne aloft on his sedia yes-
tatoria by eight footmen dressed from head to foot
in scarlet. Four captains of the Swiss Guard, each
bearing a great two-handed sword of state, and repre-
senting the four cantons of Switzerland which have
the pr:vilege of furnishing recruits for the Papal
Guard, stride alongside of the palanquin, while the
Elabelh, those immense fans of white ostrich plumes,
are gently waved backward and forward on either side
of his Holiness. The private audiences are generally
granted between the hours of twelve and one o'clock.
The prelates of the household and the chamberlains
receive the visitor most kindly in the great ante-
chamber. As soon as the Pope is at liberty Monsignor
Macchi opens the door and announces the visitor.
Entering the room the Pope is found seated in an
armchair, and as soon as he raises his hand in act of
benediction the visitor falls on his kneees once near
the door, the second time in the middle of the room,
and the third time immediately in front of the Holy
Father, who extends his foot for the visitor to kiss
the gold cross which is embroidered on his white
slipper. After subsequently kissing the superb sap-
phire which forms his pastoral ring the visitor rises
and remains standing during the interview. The Pope
himself generally likewise rises and leans against a,
large table which constitutes almost the sole furni-
ture of this apartment. Only the cardinals are
allowed to sit in his presence on two stools which are
placed on either side of his armchair for the purpose.
The Pope always begins the conversation. He talks
much and at great length. He seems to listen to
the ;sound of his own voice, and his conversation,
which becomes animated, frequently struck me as
being remarkable for a picturesque eloquence which
he is careful to avoid in his public speeches. When
he motions that the audience is at an end, the slipper
and the ring are again kissed while he is in the act of
pronouncing the Benediction, and then one has to back
out, making the same three genulexions as on enter-
ing. F. equently the Pope starts off on a fresh sub-
ject while the visitor is in the act of kissing his slipper
on departure, and appears to remain oblivious of the
fact that the latter has to remain kneeling the whole
time. He has the most inflexible character, and it is
only those personal adherents who have followed him
from his former Archbishopric of Perugia who are
able to get him to change his mind. Otherwise he
does not admit much contradiction. He does his
best, however, to display a paternal benevolence to
every one, to charm those present by a regal courtesy,
and to hide his frequently strong prejudices under an
appearance of a supreme love of justice. His great
object is somewhat similar to that which animated the
glorious reign of Pope Clement XlV.—namely. to
place the Church on friendly terms with all Govern-
ments, be they Catholic, Protestant, or heathen, and
obtain from every one of them, no matter whether
monarchical or republican, all possible advantages for
the Church. His aim is to persuade rulers of nations
that Catholicism is a powerful factor in securing to
them the affections of their subjects, and that not only
can the Church help them in appeasing internal diffi-
culties, but that its assistance is invaluable in calming
those revolutionary passions which are menacing the
very existence of every State, no matter what the
form of government.