The Irish standard., 1889-10-05
THE PAPAL CITY OF ROME.
Instances in the Past When the Popes
Were Compelled to Leave the
Eternal City.
NO EMPERORS RULE IN ROME,
Plus TX. and His Flight to Gaeta
His Welcome back by the
People.


Without at all discussing the ques-
tion, says the Boston Republic. whether
there be any probability in these Oft
repeated statements to the effect that
Leo Kill contemp.ates abandoning his
residence IN Rome and going elsewhere
tor awhile. it may not be uninteresting
or untimely to look into the pages of
Papal history for the purpose of ascer-
tanning whv Popes have, In former
times, been obliged to take such step
as the cableman Is now fond of attrl-
butIng to the present Pontiff. tits well
understood, of course, that the Pope's
departure from Rome would not signify
that the Church in any sense renounced
her rights to that city, and it IS equally
we'll understood that his return would
be only a question OF time. Away back
as far as the beginning OF the twelfth
century Gelasius IL, who then occupied
the chair OF Peter, was compelled by the
prosecutions OF Henry Y. to abandon
the Vatican and seek arefugein France.
His entrance into that country was
more of q triumphal procession, how
ever than the aight Of a. prosecuted
ruler. Not alone the common people,
but the nobility. hastened to greet anG
welcome him. and even the French King
paid him becoming homage. Arnold da
Brescia stirred up another movement
in Rome, in consequence of which Pope
Eugenlus LII. was obliged to leave the
city and seek refuge III Armenia. His
flight was the means Of breaking to a
considerable extent the sway of the
HISTORIAN schismatics in that country,
and led to the reconciliation of many
misguided ones to the Church. Bar
barOsa, the Emperor Frederick, drove
Alexander III. from the Eternal City.
and that Pontiff was obliged to flee
from Italy even to France. and thence
To Germany. but he found honors await
ing him elsewhere, and his return tc
Rome was magnificent ovation. Plus
vi. was driven into exile by Bonaparte
and died away from the Vatican, but
his successor Plus VII, re entered
Rome in triumph again and re-asserted
the Papacy's rights to rule therein
The story OF the prosecutions to which
the former Pontiff was subjected has
thus been told by an historian of that
day. He was compelled to deliver up
by extorted treaty, important portions
of his possessions, and 70 submit to SEE
the priceless treasures of his art CALLER
les made the spOils of his conqueror
His capital was occupied by French
army, his authority superseded, a re-
public on the model of that of Franc,
established Ia It's stead, and because hi
would not acknowledge the usurpatio1
lie was compelled TO leave the Vatica,
and seek shelter in convent near Flor
ence, id which he was allowed to remain
but little time. Treated like crimi
nal, and moved from fortress to fortres
Plus VII, at length Welded up a lite 0
Of suffering most heroically endured
Still the PapacY was not destroyed, no
its temporal sovereignty at an end. II
Venice, not in Rome, was his successor
Rius VIII, elected Alike in name
he was also similar to him in sufferings
The policy Of the French directory wa
to upToot the PapacY; tnat Of Napoleol
was to maintain it, but III comDlet
subsection to his authority. ALI Italy
wrote Napoleon to Plus in 1906, mus
be subject to my laws. Your situatio
requires that you pay me the same res
pect i'll temporal which L do you i
spiritual matters, You are Sovereig
DC Rome, but l am its Emperor. A
my enemies must be its enemies. n
Sandman, Swedish, English or Russia
envoy may be permitted to reside a
your capital The reply of Plus VIII
to that extraordinary being Who ais
aimed st universal dominion, and who's
star of destiny was then high in th
ascendant, was dignifed and firm, th
more so that his position placed him a
the mercv Of the conqueror. Piu
wrote him thus: Your majesty Jays
down as fundamental law that 20
are sovereign Of Rome, The Suprem
Pontiff admits no such authority. nc
any power superior in temporal matter
to his own. There are no Emperors
Rome. 1t is not thus that Charlemanp
treated our predecessors. The deman
to dismiss the envoys Of Russia. Swede
and England is positively refused Th
father of the faithful is bound to RENAL
with all at peace, without distinction
Catholics or heretics." OF course th
conduct on the part Of the Pope speedil
subjected him to the anger of the woul'