The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1891-12-10
Making a Pope.

The pope is elected by the cardinals, who
are usually seventy two in number, and
they do it in this way: Ten days after the
death of the pope the cardinals enter into
cOnclave-the place where the election is
held. Each one is given small room.
From there they proceed to the chapel,
where the bulls relative to the election of
the pope are read and sworn to. No cardi-
nal is permitted to leave the cOnclave until
the election is over. ALI doors and win.
dows towards the outside are walled up. :.
with the exception of one door, through
which the more distant cardinals arriving
later may come in. This entrance is
strongly guarded by soldiers. This is done
to cut off all outside pressure and influence,
and thereby to insure an entirely free and
independent election. The casting of the
votes takes place in the chapel twice day.
at A. NJ and 2 P. NJ. Two thirds of the
votes are necessary to lawfully elect pope.
1t less votes are cast in favor of one person.
the tickets are burned in the fireplace of the
chapel. Every day at o'clock in the morn
ing and 2 o'clock in the afternoon the peO-
pie of the city are watching the chapel
chimney; If smoke therefrOm arises they
know that no pope has been elected. AS
soon as the necessary number of votes unite
for one, then. if he is present, he is asked
whether or not he will accept the pOntifi-
cate. The pope elect then kneels, prays
and decides; if he is not present. a solemn
embassy is at once deputed to him.
The honor of primacy accepted. the new
pope changes his name. He does so to i'm
fof Uyh ririn
''Simon." was changed into that of Peter
as soon as our Lord elected him the head
of his church. After this the pOntiff puts
on the papal vestments, and adOrns his fin
gers with the fiSherman'S ring. The election
is then publicly proclaimed by one of the
cardinals from the lOggia of st. Peters
church: Il announce to you great joy!
We have pope in the person of his emf
nence. most reverend lord N. N, who has
taken the name n" Then all the bells of
the Catholic churches of Rome ring, the
Swiss guards fire artillery salutes. the peo-
pie shout. st. Peters church choir intOnes
the ''Te Deum," and the pope gives the
solemn benedction. urbis ct Orbis.
The present pope was elected after only
thirty six hours of cOnclave after the third
scrutiny. Leo XIII. is of short stature; his
figure is slight. frail looking; his features
are angular. His brow is remarkably high;
his nose Roman: his eyes black and brit
liant. They are inexpressibly piercing, and
give an extraordinary vivacity to his coun-
'tenance. His voice is clear and ringing.
He speaks slowly, but with good precision.
Always very carefully prepares his dis
courses. but seldom writes them down. only
after they have been delivered he dictates
them from memory to the secretary. His
right hand trembes very much. cOnse-
Ouonco of tvnhOid fever manV wears ago
His leanness is phenomenal-mere skin and
bones. Leo XIII. is nervous. his health
tenacious. For over fifteen years he never
suffered from anything more serious than a
passing cold. Longevity is hereditary in the
Pecci family-one of his brothers recently
died at the age of eighty four; another
brother at ninety One.-PiOneer Press.