Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1870-11-10
The LeoDiue City-What it is.
From the Pail Mail Gazette


The Leonine City derives its name from
Leo w., who first fortified the environs Of
ths Vatican, left entirely open aud with
out the city when Aurelian carried the
walls around Rome Even when ST. Pc
ters had been built, and around it had
grown up monasteries, hospitals and
dwellings, of all kinds, and the foreign
colony had settled on the left of it, DO
Pope thought of fortifying or protecting
th s part by walls. For, says Gregorious,
data, the enemies of Rome had till then
the plan; had he carried it out
the SarrassinS would not have
plundered the Basiica The works
commenced by him had been stop
ped by internal connections and the 70.
mans quietly possessed themselves of the
materials of the half finished buildings,
aud used them for other purposes. After
the pillage, however, Leo ". again took
up the plan most vigorously, and carried it
out with energy. He first submitted it to
the Emperor Lothian, without whose per-
mission he dared not undertake so impor.
tant work, aud not on = found him ready
to permit it, but to contribute largely TO it's
execution. The costly undertaking was
next divided in such manner that all the
individual cities of the states of the
Church, all public estates OF the Church,
the city, the monasterles aud converts, had
to place certain sum and a certain mum
Der of their people "a. the disposal OF the
building committee.
The work was begun III 04S and compile
ted in S52. The Vatican environs COR the
Porticus Of st. Peter) are surrounded III
such a manner that the walls rose from the
Hadrianeum up 10 the side of the Vatican
mountain, then enclrcled st. Peters, aud
next, descending straight from this height,
were carried AZ far as the river, below the
present gate Santo Spirito, which was ad-
ded afterwards. The walls reached q
height of nearly forty feet, of correspond
ing thickness, and were guarded by forty
four strong towere.
\ good deal OF this horseshoe-llke wall
ring Of Leo ~. is Sill discernible III the
Borgo, IN the Alexander walk, near the
Mint and the Papal garden as tar as the
stout corner tower, Ia the line OF the Porta
pertasa, and towards the PortR Fabrica.
But later buildings IN the nsw Borgo the
1astiops of S. Spirito, have bro Ell through
the walls and destroyed their traces IN
many places, md with the new great en-
closure Of the Vatican by Plus ~. the
Leonine City shared the fate which the old
Sergian walls underwent at the time OF
Aureiian.
When Leo had finished his work, he
proudly called his city CiVitas Leoltna.
Rome, upon which the Popts had now M
mistakably impressed the stamp ., their
rule, had not for centuries celebrated q
higher festival than the Inauguration OF
those walls on june n, $50 Al the Dish
OPS, priests, and monastc orders OF Rome,
led by the Pop himself, went round the
walls baretoOted, ashes on their heads,
and singing hymns. AS they passed the
walls, the seven cardinal bls1 ops spfinEled
holy water upon them; ut each gate taey
stopped, ana each time the rope INVOKED
blessing from heaven upon tue new CITY
The procession over, The pope MADE large
presents of gold, silver and silken pallia
TO the nobility, the people, and the Tor
egners colonies.
Nor were appropriate, though somewhat
barbarous, inscriptions wanting over
the principal gate, that OF ,. feregflnus,
the conventional "wayiarer' WAS addressed
III this wise:
Oni vents &C vadis decus hoe adte dc yiator,
OuOd Quaftus slIu14J uuuC IL" apo :. ~
Msrmgre precise iadiant h@ culmlna pulchra,
Que manibu5 hominum facta decore pla-
cent, &c.
And over the gate at the Castellum:
Romans Francus Bardusqua viator ct omnis
Hoe oui intendit opus cautica digna cantet;
O1Ud bonus Antiste- quertus Leo rite noVavit
Pro patriR &C plebis Gee salute cue.
pripciee cum summo gauaens CT o5ans per
amos
Perfect GUMS emieat altus Aonor.
Oroa yereranda fies uim'o viniZlt ainore
Noe Deu- omnin1teus perferal aIce poll.
G5UEas LeoHstG G0cal1r.
The new city was dedicated by Ia Pope
- r.r,st and recommended 70 tAe pro-