The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1874-12-04
Pho NOno's Daily Life.


old man whom all Catholics love as their
father and who has place even In the
admiration of his worst enemies, is Of
public interest. We therefore gladly
make public in America the following
, translation of an article on Pho Nono's
, daily life, which has been recently writ
ten by NJ. Bernadlle, and is now "ma-
king the rounds" OF the Continental
press:
formed i'm Rome the acquaintance of
a valet de chambre OF the Holy Father,
who has been in his service ten years
and has never left him. lie possesses
the confidence Of his venerable master,
and he deserves IL. lean mention more
than one monsignOre who has not his
influence, and he is courtcd by persons
/ rom the four quarters of the globe. He
ought TO have secretary 10 attend to
his correspondence. lie Is constantly
receiving yisits and requests, and he is
asked for audiences ms II he were min
\ lister. Bankers worth millions, depu-
ties and great ladies come to see him
with letters of introduction. Generals.
and ministers, and high officials send
him their photographs. with which he
lines the walls of his chamber. All this
does not spoil him; he has remained
humble, gentle. polite. serviceable, obli-
ging, and even unembarrassed by the
attentions he has received, and never for
a moment forgetting his humble station
or seeking to abuse the confidence placed
| in him. have often spoken with this
lclerical Caleb. and always OF Plus IL.
The Sovereign Pontifr has no reason 10
fear the proverb which declares that no
man is hero TO his valet 1t is, thanks
to his confidence, enriched by the indis-
erection of some other persons attached
TO the Papal Court that ! am able to
give the following account Of how Plus
TX passes his day. Winter and summer
the Pope, Notwithstanding his eighty
three years, rises at 80 O'Clock, and
dresses himself without assistance. lie
nearly always awakens himself. After
a short prayer he enters one of his pri-
vate chapels. where the Blessed Sacra-
ment IL always preserved. and which
contains some precious relics, among
which are a fragment OF the crib OF
Bethlehem, and another Of the true cross
piece of the skull of 81. John the Bap-
tist, and some Of The teeth Of ~. Peter.
Then he prepares to say mass. At
O'Clock he descends to smaller and less
adorned chapel. where he says mass, and
where those who have permission 10 do
90 receive communion from his hands.
lie celebrates mass with great devotion,
and with such u piety that he is often
moved to tears. The Holy Father next
hears another mass. said u, one Of his
chaplains, and then. after giving his ben
ediction 10 the priest aud his assistants.
he re;ires. Ii is now s AS O'Clock. aud
His Eolinees takes his breakfast. which
consists of a basin Of broth and a cup oI
black coffee. Cardinal Antoneli now
comes TO confer with him, except on
Tuesdays and Fridays. when he is re-
placed by his substitute. MonSignor
Marino Marini. Al 10 o'clock the Pope
Ireads his letters. which as will be easily
Imagined, are usually very numerous.
lie then looks over the Osservatore Ro-
mano and Voce della Veri,a, but very
, rarely. am sorry TO say, does he ever
undo the bands of the French papers
which reach him regularly. Then begin
: the special audiences. The men come
in evening dress aud crsvats. They gen.
uaect thrice on entering, and then knee
before the Pope, who lifts them up. Tn,
Pope is seated; his visitors stand or
kneel Cardinals and Princes alone
have the right 10 sit in The Pope's pres
lence. This is one of the most fatiguins
lparts of the Popes duty. The Secreta
.Iry's office is literally inundated will
demands entreating audiences, and du
Z ring the winter season thc lumber is in
credible. At ii o'clock the Pope take
: "A basin of soup aud glass OF Bordeau'
9 wine, which Is sent TO him from tn
nuns Of ST. Joseph, and is made from
vine especially devoted to his use
Formerly Plus IN used only TO drin
common white wine, and he had reache
his eightieth year before he could
induced to drink Bordeaux or Capr
Men only are permitted to enter th
|. Pope's apartments. When an audicnc
. is over the sovereign Pontiff rings be
placed on table, and another person
I admitted by the prelste who is on dut
. that day. AT about ~ or IL 80, whe
. the Pope leaves his chamber 10 walk
, the garden of the Vatican or in the !
! brary. or perhaps in Rarhael's stan,
and loggie, on his passage lie sometim,
meets a number OF families. deputation
:. = and persons who are received in publ
audiences. lie blesses their medal
!. rosaries and the crosses, which the
: bring in abundance. He exchanges
- few words with them, and listens
their questions, and often pronounces
leo short allocution. At / 80 the Pope +
trrns from his walk. He dismisses h
N court. nd re.enters one Of his chapel
where he remains until 2 in adoratiC