The New York herald., 1870-12-11
Effects Of the French Revolution
ON the Papacy.
THE PoPEs IN EXILE.
The Councils and Diets OF the
Roman Church.
Progress and Close OF the Fem
poral Power.
The Eternal City Becomes the Capital
Of a United Italy.

Of u United Italy.
The important events that for three months past,
have been transriring at Rome have already LED 70
the extinction OF the Oldest dynasty in the world and
deprived the Popes OF that temporal jurisdiction
they have held since the days OF Chalemagne,
although they still claim spiritual supremacy over
nearly two hundred millions OF Christians. trust
worthy history, therefore, such has not yet ap-
peared in the columns OF the press, OF the rise
growth ana influence Of that power cannot fail TO be
acceptable to our readers, and such, complied with
much care and impartiaiIty, we now place before
them.
CLAIMS OF SUPREMACY THE ROMAN SEE.
IL is not OF course, readers to hear that
the Popes of Rome claim supremacy, by Divine
right, over all otner bishops. regarding themselves
as the legitimate OF st. Peter who. they
hold, mad the primacy OF the Apostles bestowed on
him ana rounded the See OF Rome, in which city
he was martred in the year e6. Ranke
tells us, in his History OF the Popes,"
that mo long time had elapsed before
the bishops OF Rome acquired the supremacy" 'It
Is, ndeed he says, ga vain pretence to assert that
this supremacy was universally acknowledged by
East and West even in the rst century, or indeed,
at any time; but it Is equally certain that they
quickly gained pre-eminence, raising them far
above all other ecclesiastical dIgnitarles.n The
daunted frmness which the bishops OF Rome dis
played throughout the fearful prosecutions TO which
the Christians were subjected during the first TWO
centuries was well calculated to secure to them
this postion one after another they cheerfuly fol-
lowed their predecessors the path OF marty rdom.
Their supremacy was further strengthened by
the emperors from the time Constantine embraced
the Christian faith until the partition OF the empire.
We find Theocosus the Great commanding that all
nations claiming the protection oil his Grace should
receive the faith as propounded by ST. Peter TO tne
Romans; while Valehtnian forbade the bishops
whether Of Gaul or the other provinces to depart
from the received customs OF the Church without
the sanction OF that venerable man. the Pope OF the
Holy City.
The appelation "pope,n Greek word, sienlfylng
s'father appears to have been first taken by Hygi-
NUS who held the See early in the second century.
Innocent l., who began his reign 4o2, was decided
In his avowal of the authoritative position he held,
using the following words: -"An ecclesiastical mat
tiers throughout world are, by Divine right TO be
referred Apostolic See-tat IS, to st. Peter,
the author OF its name and honors." Towards the
close OF the same century we find Pope Felix H.,
who the first TO apply the term "yicar," to him
SELF equally emphatic the assertion OF his claims
saying, .St. Peter, the apostle speaks IN me, his
wear, and Christ speaks in him."
The emperors of the East, however, were aver Sc
TO the recognition OF the supremacy OF the See OF
Rome in their dominions, and 1T was, doubtless,
owing TO their influence that we find, during the
reign Of Pope Simpllcius, the sees OF Constanti-
nope, Alexandria, Antioch and Jerusalem, s.rng-
Cling respectively for the supremacy, their claims
obtaining only partial and temporary recognition.
We meet the It'll supreme pontif,'' first applied
to Theodorus, who assembled the Papal chair In 642
by the African bishops, who addressed MIN as
supreme pontifr OF all bishops"
DISRUPTION OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE.
The important part played by the bishops Of Rome
during the disruption of the empire led the founda-
tion OF the temporal power of the Church. When
the Roman empire, long conquering and para
mount was In turn invaded and overcome,
Christianity, amid the general convulsons that
ensued, received violent shock, and the Church
found herself In entirely altered circumstances
From the commencement OF the 1fth to the middle
OF the eighth century Rome was repeatedly taken,
sacked and burned by the Goths, Huns and Van
dals. and other endless and barbarian hordes who
poured out their savage multltudes over Italy.
ROME PLUNDERED BY THE GoTHs AND vAspALs.
In 40 the city was taken and pillagsd by Alaric
King OF the Goths. Next Atilla, the Hun,
called the Scourge Of God with 100000 followers,
who are described as more like demons than men,
He was met while yet IN the North Of Italy, by Pope
Leo accompanied by few ecclesiastics who sue
ceeded in diverting him from his fierce purpose.
Soon after came Genseric, OF the Vandais. He
set sail from Africa, and, when asked by the pilot
s.Where shall l steer ~ answered, "Leaye that 10
the winds; they will take to the country God is
angry with.u He landed near Rome. Again the
Pope went forth with few unarmed ccclesastics,
and though he did not succeed IN turning him back
he obtained for the people the best terms he could
The horrors at tnat time were great that when
the Greek General Narses, took the city. in 552, it
the fifteenth time 1t had been taken by an army
within sixteen years.
Meantime the Lombsrds as neighbors most dan
gerous and hostile, had established powerful
Sovereignty In Italy, while the Arabs, inspired oy
fanaticism and dogmatiziDg creed directly op-
posed to the Christian faith, now began 10 pour
themselves over the West, as they had previously
done over the East. They had gained possession
or Africa after repeated attacks, had made them
seves masters OF Spain BY one battle and their
General, Musa, had boasted that he would march by
the PyreDees, Gloss the Alps into Italy and have the
name OF Mahomet proclaimed from the Vatican ~
Rome.
To add to the perilous position Of Roman Christen.
dom at this period the lconocastlc dissensions had
broken out, and the Emperor at Constautlnoljle
adopted the party to which the Pope was opposed.
Martin l.. who ascended the Papai chair IN 64g was
made prisoner by the Emperors orders conveyed to
the isle Of Makes, ana subjected to great indigntes
subsequently he was taken TO Constantnople
brought to mock trial. accused of censpirlng
p atIist the Emperor stripped OF his ponucal robes
ard dra gged through the streets with IRON collar
akOut hts neck. He was then cast into prison and
ehortty after banished 10 the Crimea where he died
OF pr1vations In Co.,
SPREAD or CHRISTIANITY IN EUROPE.
While Christianity was then almost extcrmin Ia
A fr1ca bv the prOCres CT M0hammedanlsn, and all
Christendom threatened with war OF extermlns. ma