Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1874-11-25
PIO NONO'S DAILY LIFE.

From Advance Proofs of the Catholic Review.
Everything that concerns the grand old man
whom all Catholics love as their father, and who
has place even 10 the admiration Ut his worst
enemies is OF public interest. We therefore
gladly make public 10 America the following
translation OF an article on Plo Mono daily
life, which has been recently written by vi.
Bernadile, and is now making the rounds
of the Continental press:
formed 10 Rome the acquaintance of valet
dc chambre of the Holy Father, who has been
10 bis service ten years and has never left him.
He possesses the confidence Of his venerable
master, and he deserves 1t. l can mention
more than one monsl gnore who has not his 10
huence, aud he is courtcd by persons from the
four quarters of the globe. lie ought to have
a secretary to attend to his correspondence; he
is constantly receiving visits and requests, aud
he is asked for audiences as if he were min
lister. Bankers worth millions, deputies and
great ladies come to see him with letters OF 10
PRODUCTION. Generals and ministers, and high
officials send him their photograI rs, with
which he lines the walls of his chamber. All
this does not spoil him; he has remained hum
BILE, gentle, polite, serviceable, oblglng and
even unem barrassed by the attention he re-
ceives, and never for moment forgetting his
humble station or seeking TO abuse the couh-
dence placed 10 nlm.
have often spoken with this clerical Caleb
and always of Plus TX. The Sovereign Pom
tiff has no reason to fear the proverb which
declares that no man is hero to his velet. 1t
is, thanks to his confidence, enriched by the
ipdscretion of some other persons attached to
the Papal Court that | am able to give the fol-
loving account of how Plus TX passes his day.
Winter and summer the Pope, notwithstand-
iug bis eighty-three years, rises at $50 clock,
and dresses himself without assistance. He
nearly always awakens himself. After short
prayer he enters one OF his private chapes,
where the Blessed Sacrament is always pre-
served, aud which contains sorue precious rel.
les, among which sre fragment of the crib OF
Bethlehem, and another of the true cross; q
piece of the skull Of St. john the Baptist, and
some of the teeth of St. Peter Then he pre-
pares to say mass.
Att o'clock be descends to smaller and
less adoroed chapel, where be says mass, and
where those, who have permission to do so re-
ceive communion from his hands. lie cele-
brates mass with great devotion, aud With such
piety that he is often moved to tears The
Holy Father next hears another mass, said by
Que of his chaplans, and then, after giving his
bepediction to the priest and assistants, he re-
tires 1t is now S:45 o'clock, and His Holiness
takes his breakfast which consists OF basin
OF broth and cup of back cctce. CARDINAL
Antouelli now comes TO couier with him, ex-
cept on Tuesdays aod Fridays, when he is re-
placed by his substitute, Monsignor Marlno
Marini.
AT 10 o'clock the Pope reads his letters,
which. as will be easily imagined, are usually
numerous. He then looks over the Observa-
tore Romano and Wee della Vcrita, but very
rarely, am sorry to say, does be ever undo
the bands of the French papers, which reach
him regularly. Then begin the special audi
euces. The men come In evening dress, with
cravats. They genuhect thrice on entering,
aud then knecl before the Pope, who raises
them up. The Pope is seated; his visitors
stand or kneel. Cardinals and princes alone
have the right to sit In the Pope's presence.
This is one of the most tatiguing parts OF the
Popes duty. The Secretary's department IS
literally inundated with demands entreatloog
audience, aud during the winter season the
number is Incredible.
At til o'clock the Pope takes basin OF soup
and glass of Bordeaux wine, which Is sent
to him by the nuns OF St. Joseph, and Is MADE
from vine especially devoted to Ills use.-
Formerly Plus lX. used only to drink common
white vine, and he had reached his eightleth
year before be could be induced to drink Bor-
deaux or Capri Men ouly are permitted to
enter the Pupes apartments. When an audi;
euce is over the Sovereign Pontiff rings bell
placed on table, and another person Is ad-
nitted by the prelate who is on duty that day.
AT about 70 or 1890, when the Pope leaves
his chamber to walk in the garden OF the Vatl'
can or 10 the library, or perhaps 10 Raphael S
staoze aud loggie; on his passage he sometimes
meets oumber of families, deputalonss, and
persons who are received 10 public audience.
He blesses their medals rosaries and the the
crosses which they bring iu ABUNDANCE, tie
exchanges few words with them, and hstens
to their questions, and often prououuces short
alocu.ion.
At 1:3O the Pope returns from his walk. he Hi1:e
dismisses his court, and re-enters one OF bis