Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-01-06

OF December 1897, began tho commence
ration of his jubiee-the close of the
fiftieth year Of his priesthood All the
Christian world shows profound respect;
the Catholic nations have showered upon
him the richest gifts, and even the rulers
of Buddhsts and Mohammedans have
sent gifts and honors as to the head of
great Christian communion. 1t is
not to the pope only that those gifts
and honors are offered, for Leo
NH had an enviable reputation as
diplomat, statesman, scholar and
publicist long before he became pope.
AS a writer of pure Augustan Latin he
probably has not an equal in modern
times; his poetry, though often sad, is ex-
quistely sweet, his plan for the organiza-
ton of schools has been thought
good enough to be adopted by some
Protestant communities, and his diplo-
macy in France, Belgium, Spain and
Germany has been attended with the
happest results. His arbitration between
Spain and Germany in the matter of the
Caroline Islands has gained him the
friendship Of both nations. He has put
an end to the bitter struggle in Germany
called the "Kultur kampfn The rela-
tons between England and the vatican
are now closer than they have ever been
since Henry VEL and Queen Victoria has
sent the Duke of Norfolk to represent her
at the festivities. Europe admits that
for centuries no such far seeing states
man has been at the head of the church.
and Protestant and Catholic nations unite
in doing the honors at his jubilee
Uniting scholarship, craftsmanship and
peculiar sweetness of character to his
functions as pope, we need not wonder at
ha
likely sources. The sultan of Turkey,
for instance, sends an antique pastoral
ring, set with precious stones and
valued at $4,000 The emperor of Ger
many and what would have been thought
more unlikely in 1870 S00 sends mitre
worked in gold and eucrusted with rubies,
emeralds, brilliants and sapphres-the
whole of immense value. The Chinese
government sends special envoy with
rich presents, and the empress regent
sends a large contribution in money
From other n-Catholic sources gifts
almost equally princely are received. But
from Catholic princes and peoples the con-
tributiOns are SO numerous that the list
would fill many columns. The queen
regent of Spain sends ring set with Il
sapphire worth $4,000. The emperor of
Austria and the ladies of Vienna join in
presenting pictorial cross costing 100 600
florins The clergy and laity of the arch
diocese of Paris have contributed 10000
francs for n tiara, which is to be studded
with 600 diamonds, rubies, emeralds and
sapphires. The Syrian Catholics give
cross and chain worth 1000
rupees. Scores of associations of
pious Ladies' in many places send
beautiful and costly gifts. The oc-
casion will also be utilized by various
churches. Ireland will dedicate the Irish
National church in Rome. Ireland also
contributes the garb in which the pope
celebrates the public mass on Dec. 81. 1t
is of white Irish poplin, woven for this
special purpose by direction of the bishop
of Armagh. For this mass over $500, 600
has been contributed, making it the
most impressive ever witnessed In such
blaze of brilliancy will close the iifteth
year of his priesthood, and we are justi-
fled in some curiosity as to the life and
achievements of the man thus highly hon
Ored.
Leo XIII was the fourth son Of Count
Dominica Ludovico Pccci and Anna Pros
peri-Bugi, and was born at Carpineti,
a place of some 5000 inhabitants, set
in cleft of the Monte Lepini, n
spur of the Apprentices, Both his parents
We're of noble blood. His father had
served under Napoleon. Farther back the
family wcr- .,iennese noblemcn and pro-
duced several eminent men. His mother