New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-12-08
THE GCUMENICAL COUNCIL.
IFS GENERAL CHARACTER.

Church no such assembly mas Deen held since the
Council of Trent, which closed more than three
hundred years ago. And it is noteworthy that dur
ing these three hundred years other form of reli-
Sous belief has been able to convoe Council which
to an equal extent embraced representatives from all
parts of the habitable globe The Eastern Church is
confined to a few. though vast countries in Eastern
Europe Northern and Western Asia, and Northern
and Eastern Africa and again broken up into num-
Ter of parties which have no bond of uniOn and have
never even attempted to assemble General Council
Professionalism bids fair to become as widely eX-
tended as Roman Catholicism roofing itself in every
country of the world but it is divided into hundreds
Of organizations which thus far have in their his
tory no meeting, in which all these organizations
were officially represented though of late, as
some hope, the initial step toward the fu-
ture Ecumenical Councils of Protestant
Christendom has been taken by the General Con-
ferences of the Evangelical Alliance. Outside of
the Christian world such meetings are at present
thought of. There n time when Buddhism had
its Gcumenical Councils attended by the heads of
religion from various countries; but this time has
long since been past. International Congresses for
humanitarian and social purposes have sprung into
existence during the past few years, and bid fair TO
have grand future; but thus far, in point of uni
versatility, the Gcumencal Council of Rome which
opens to-day is the grandest International Congress
of the present century, and in general, OF modern
times and it therefore justly commands the intense
Interest not only of those who, with pIOus rever-
ence, look forward to its acts as new manifesto
tion of Divine truth but of all who are not indifer
tnt to the religious and moral ideas which at the
present time sway so large portion of the human
race
THE CATHOLIC HIERARCHY-HOw 1T is COM
POSED.
The opening Of the Council will first of all direct
the attention of the world to the members who com
pose il. The Catholic hierarchy has often enlisted
the admiration of many who were strangers OF even
opponents to the Catholic creed 1t is the only mon
archy among the great religious organizations OF the
world. Neither the Greek Church, nor single one
Of the Protestant bodies nor Judaism nor Moham-
mechanism, nor any other mont Christian form of be-
lief has a monarchial head. The present Pope, Plus
TX was born on May 49, 1892 and is therefore now in
his 18th year. In the list of bishops of Rome, as il
Is given in the official Papa Almanac, he is accounted
the 257th. Like all of his predecessors during the
last 800 years he is an Italian by BIRTH the last non
Italian Pope having been Adrian H.. who was a Hol
lander and died in 1923. OF all the bishops of Rome
slly 40 were non-Italians and of these 10 were
Frenchmen, Germans, and Spaniards. The Ponti-
fcate of Plus TX. is of the longest on record.
Having been elected on the 10th of June 1896 he has
occupied the Papa chair for % years and six months
1t is a well known legend-the correctness of which,
however, even most of the Catholic Church
historians are not willing to defend-that
St. Peter was bishop of the Roman congregation
for full q years and with this legend common
expectation has connected itself, that no following
Pope will occupy the apOstocal chair an equal length
of time until the last Pope, under whose pOnticate
this world will come to an end. Certain it is that no
Pope so far as documentary history has been traced
has ruled for % years. Only two have exceeded the
length of the pontifcate of the present Pope,
all, - laffa faVlIf-
cate of "a years and eight months and in the earlier
history of the Church. Sylvester l., whose pontfcate
extended to % years and 10 months The pOntiicate
of Plus * has been agiated by great storms which
more than once have threatened to sweep away
the whole of the Temporal Power AT the
same time, however, the borders of the Church
have been greatly enlarged, and its organiza-
ton In many countries consolidated. No fewer
than l16 new dioceses, or about onc-sevcnth of
the total number of Catholic doceses, have been
established by the present Pope Plus IL is earnestly
devoted to the utra-Papal theories which have long
been traditional in Rome, though they regarded
with regret by many within the Church, but per
sonay he is highly esteemed. not only by all parties
within the Church, but by all who have come into
personal contact with him.
THE COLLEGE OF CARDINALS.
The Pope is assisted in the government Of the
Church by the Cardinals Though next TO the Pope
as his advisors they not next TO him IN point OF
Jurisdiction and, therefore, in the scale OF the MGR
srchy; for Cardinal who is not at the same time
Bishop ranks inferior to ArchbishOps and Bishops.
The College of Cardinals is divided into three classes
Cardinal Bishops CardinalPriests. and Cardinal
Deacons The first of these classes comprises the bs
ops of six Episcopal Sees near Rome who, however,
reside in the City of Rome The CardinalDeacons are
generally officers of administration, and in many
cases have not taken priestly, though they have
ceved the minor orders. The great majority Of the
College comprising in particular all the foreign Car
dnals belong to the order of Cardinal Priests The
foil number of the Holy College is 20; but the nam
Der is rarely full According to the Papal Almanac
for 1862 there were in January, 1862 Cardinal !
Bishops A. Cardina-Priests, and SCardinaDcacOns;
together 81 leaving 10 hats vacant though two new
Cardinals had been reserved in petO but not yet
nounced. Two Cardinals having died during the
year and none appointed the number at present is
only S. As usual the majority of them are Italians of
non-Italians there were in December, 1862 French
Spaniards 4 Germans, and Irish. The American
countries though now constituting very important
portion Of the territory of the Church not up
resented in tue Holy College.
OF most Of the Italian Cardinals little is known
outside Of Italy. The only one among them who has
a world wide reputation is Cardinal Antone. the
President Of the Papal Ministry who has had charge
OF the temporal interests of the Holy Sec during the
greater part of the Ponticate of Plus The foreign
Cardinals are somewhat better known, as they are
taken amODgthe prominent dignares Of the several
countries. among tlie scons of the first princey
families of Europe. Thus the Holy College numbers
ut present among its members Lucen Bonapartc. o
cousin Of the French Emperor; Prince Schwarlon-