New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1886-06-16
The Life of the Pope.
From the Brooklyn Magazine.

From the Brooklyn Magazine.
The pope's personalhabits are very
methodical. At six O'Clock in the
summer and half an hour later in the
winter, the holy father leaves his bed,
says his prayers, and then goes to eel
citrate mass in his oratory. Some
times on a Sunday he gives commun-
ion to a few privileged persons, as, for
instance, members OF the Roman arts
tocracy, or distinguished pilgrims. A
few minutes later he attends the mass
being celebrated in the Sistine chapel;
then he returns to his apartments to
partake of his first breakfast-black
coffee, very strong, and a piece Of un-
sweetened cake or pastry. Under no
circumstances is any one ever admit
ted to the pope's table; but he fire.
quently admits his brother cardinals
or mis- nephew, a captain in the noble
guard, to come in while he is eating.
Breakfast over, his holiness enters his
study and begins work on his CORE
spondence; in this he is assisted, not
as he should be, according to ancient
usage, by one OF the private cham
berlains, but by Mgr. Boccali, an old
friend whom he has made his private
secretary. At $50 the secretary OF
state arrives. Monseigneur there
upon retires, leaving Cardinal jacob
nj with the pope. The conference be-
tween the sovereign pontiff and his
prime minister is short; and then come
the audiences. beginning with the car
dinal projects Of the various con-
gregations; after them the ambas-
sailors, then the pilgrims and the
public. These audiences over, he goes
to eat an egg, dish of meat, some
vegetables, bread and good red
Bordeaux. finishing up with small
cup OF coffee and glass of sherry Or
Madeira. At this second breakfast,
Mgr. Boccali or one of the chamber
lains is present, but is not at table.
With this meal ends the first part Of
the day; and as soon as it is over, his
holiness retires to his bedroom for a few
minutes of repose. This short siesta
over, he returns to work, to the prep
aration OF encyclical letters, instruc-
tions to representatives at foreign
courts, ETC., which occupy him until
4:3O o'clock, when he takes his regular
ride in the Vatican park or gardens,
in company with a chamberlain and
always escorted by two of the noble
guard. When the weather is too bad
for a carriage ride, the Pope walks in
the loggia OF Raphael. Afterward he
returns to his desk, and gives audi
ences to the secretaries OF the congre-
cations until S o. clock. He then reads
for an hour, when he sups as simply
as he has breakfasted finishing the
meal with glass of fnered wine from
some OF the chateaux in the Medoc
At a little before 10 he retires to his
bedroom; and, as rule, no one is
permitted to see him again unit
morning. 1t must be something
very important, indeed, that VIII in
duce any of his attendants to disturb
him during the night. No one is per
mitted to enter except the carolina
secretary OF state, Mgr. Boccali; tn,
chamberlain OF the day, the majol
domo, his confessor, the two physi
clans and his valet. Not infrequently
the Pope works on some importan
state paper until q very late hour
He is very particular about his use O
words, and his erasures and inter
| lineations are numerous.