The New York herald., 1877-11-13
EXCESSIVE LABOR AND CARE.
Statement Of the Vatican Recep-
tons in One Week.
CONCLAVE OF CARDINALS.
Italian Government Guarantees-Frecau-
tons Against Robbery.
[BY CABLE TO THE HERALD.l

ROME Nov. II, 1877.
The Pope's long and eventful life is evil
IDENTIFY drawing to close. For several
weeks his condition has given rise to anx-
lety What has most astonished his attend
ants has been his determination to fulfil
to the letter all the duties of his arduous
office. Every effort to induce the discon-
tinuance of the receptions to delegations
and the omission of some of the sacred
Offices has been gently repelled by His
Holiness. Few statesmen or prime minis
ters could accomplish more in the course Of
few hours than the Pontiff has recently.
1t has seemed like last supreme struggle
to complete his duty to the Church-truly
astonishing when it is considered that he is
Aveglm'do of eighty-fve.
EARLY PRAYERS.
Between the hours Of five A. nj. and seven
A. M. he has engaged in private prayers,
meditations and saying the "ofiice" as q
priest. AT seven A. NJ he said mass in the
private chapel and attended another mass
said by his chaplain. His private chamber
lains, members of his household and stran-
gers of prominence have always been ad-
mltted to these early services. It has
seemed lately that he has taken extraor-
dinary pains to make these services i'm
pressive. Recently he administered, in
addition to his other duties, the holy COM
munion to his domestic prelates, chamber
lains and all the other officers of his court.
TEDIOUS DAILY ROUTINE
He has been visited each Sunday and
Thursday by his physician, his surgeon,
Signor Sartori, and assistant surgeon,
Signor Ceccarelli. This visit was Mt nine
A. NJ. Before consulting with his medical
advisers, his Secretary of State had an
audience in the private chamber. Next the
major domo of the palace received his in
structions for the day.
ATTENDING TO THE MEMORIALS AND PETITIONS.
From ten to twelve o'clock he has con-
tinued to read ard mark the letters, petit
tions and memorials sent to him from all
parts of the world. His usual custom has
been to indorse most of these documents in
his own clear handwriting, in many in
stances rejecting the supplica most of the
petitions containing demands for money for
purposes sometimes foreign to the Church.
He has frequently given money to the en-
ployes of the Italian government.
REMARKABLE sUppLrCAT1oNs
Lately large number of persons in
France, Austria and other countries have
made long petitions for prayers, benedic-
tions, dispensations and advice under
special circumstances. He has been amused
frequently OF late also by communications
from crazy individuals volunteering infor-
nation and advice to the Holy Father and
proffering suggestions for the better guild
ance of the Church and improvements in
doctrine, statements made with all the
gravity and earnestness imaginable. Plus
TX. has insisted on giving his personal at
tention to all this correspondence.
BUSINESS OF THE CHURCH DEPARTMENTS.
In addition to receiving and properly dis
posing OF the regular correspondence he
has received the daily reports Of the man
ayers and secretaries Of the various boards,
commissions and congregations which con-
troll the vast, intricate machinery of the
Catholic Church. There are nineteen con-
gregations called" sacred" J" each of which has
several cardinals to transact its affairs be
sides priests to assist MS consultors. Plus
IL. has long been prefcct or president Of
three OF these great congregations-viz the
Holy Office, Concistory and Vista Apostol-
ica. There are five other departments in
addition to the nineteen sacred congrega-
tions for the transaction OF Pontifcal bust
ness; and next come the Apostolic Peni-
tenzieria Apostolic Dataria, Apostolic Cam
era and the Palatine Segreterie
THE VISITS OF ONE WEEK.
The business for one week is thus
summed up:-
Monday-Received the Cardinal Secretary
Of Memorials. First Monday in the month
Received the President of the Academia of
Noble Ecclesiastics, tho Secretary Of Regu-
lar Discipline. Monday evening