The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1878-05-05
THE OLD POPE AND THE NEF.
n COMPLETE REVERSAL OF THE OLD NODE
OF LIFE AT THE VATICAN.

Anne Brewster, the regular correspond
ant Of the N. Y. World in Rome, sends
shat paper the following letter which we
Siys without further comment than to re-
.ssark that We have found her letters to be,
generally, as reliable as they are interest-
ing. Some of the statements contained in
this letter appear to us rather improbable,
Dnt we leave the reader to judge for him
Dslf, merely republishing it as giving facts
and opinions, concerning affairs in Rome,
from non Catholic point of view:
Rome, Italy, AprH 3.-Yesterdsy was
present at one of the ordinary papal
audiences, and was forcibly struck with the
change that was yisible everywhere in the
Vatican. There is more bustle, 10 ore going
and coming and less ceremony. Common
people stopped and talked in loud voices
10 the soldiers. There were work people
standing about, with dust pans and brushes,
doing the work at mid day that should
have been done early in the morning.
The great doors on the fine stairway lead
inx up to the Court of st. Damaso, which
:1sed to be closed, were sJar serving
man stood in one, not in very nice dress
either he gazed idly at the crowd, had his
hands in his pockets, talked loudly to some
passers-by whom he knew, and, worse,
cleared HIS throat and spst on the hand.
aome marble eteps over which were sweep
ing the rich velvet and feille trains of the
ladies! At the entrance OF the Court OF
st. Damaso, instead OF the quiet Swiss
Guards, there was large, pompous fellow
in . sort of policeman's dress who directed
the people where to go in a loud voice.
The court yard was filled with carriages
scciesiastics passed hither and thither
bishop entered, with large suite of per
Bons attending him he was saluted re-
spectfully, but some of his suite stopped,
talked familiarly with two or three idlers,
and laughed audbly. Altogether there
was modern ldisses dller reigning that
seemed quite out OF keeping.
Plus TX. was what may be called in
eommon domestic language a capital house
keeper. There was q decorous discipline,
No order, System and cleanliness visible
during bis time that was very agreeable.
You never heard loud voice on those
great stairways and lofty passages. You
rarely saw work people about at mid day.
The streams of people that poured up and
dow q, in and out, moved quietly and re-
spectfuly. Preates who met each other
bowed silently with lofty reverence and
went on their eeparate ways. There were
Swiss Guards at every entrance, and num-
Sers of employees, IN suitable costumes,
who, il supercilous were silent, and kept
aheir places. But all that SHOW and state
needed more money than Leo AllI. is
willing to epeud. The present service at
She Vatican costs much less ; wages are
cut down and there are fewer persons to do
absence Of respect-for the iusubordina-
zion, indeed-which noticed.
The audiences OF Plus IN, used to be
held with a great deal of state. The Pope
entered with q court of cardinals, Mgr.
Partecipante, prelates and Noble GuArds.
He mounted the throne, made short ad-
dress in fuent French with an excellent
accent, or in rich, sonorous Italian, and
onded with the benediction. But there is
no such elegant royal ceremony now.
There were about two hundred and fifty
OF us yesterday. We were placed in one
Of the Ioggie on the second floor, the one
facing the east, the decorations of which
were made in the time of Gregory XIII.
fBaoncampsgni, 1879 1881 and Urban
VII. (Bar6erini. 1923 l64I by those
artists called the Mannerists, Tempesta
3ermoneta, etc., Shieldp, with the winged
dragon, the myth of Tryptolemus, the
crest of Gregory XIII. and Barberini bees
are over the doors We were seated on
benches that were placed on either eide of
the ioggiG, and had to wait from mid day
antil O'Clock.
At last Hls Holiness came, but without
any court or Noble Guards-only one
lRcer and two Monsignori Partecipanti
were with him. They walked slowly along
q one eide of the lOggid and returned by the
other, giving each party special attention
Only thceo the Pope addressed were allowed
10 knee ifothers attempted to kneel the
MOnsgnori mOtiunod them to stand up.
One of the MunsiEuori took the audieuce
invitation, which entitled each person OF
party of peTsona TO be there, and read the
nsmes aloud, sOmetimcs with droll pronun-
stations. The Pope gave his hand to kiss
and spoke few words to each one. When
he saw child in party he pstted it on
the head and tapped its cheek tenderly.
His manner had more homely kindness
ShRn dignity. There was no enthusiasm as
there ueed to be at the audiences of Plus
TX. Indeed, ell expressions of emotion
were discouraged. The Pope spoke in a
low tone of voice when he had anything to
say to person. After he had passed
down and up the loSgid he stood at the
end, by the door entering the Swiss Guards
Hall, and gave the benedictiOn In a mod =
crate tone of voice, then turned and left
rs. His Holiness is averse to making
speeches be is not 30 .voluble as Plus