San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1893-02-18
The Pope's Golden Jubilee.

hOME, Italy, req. lS.-LeO ALL.
begins the celebration of his golden
jubilee today. Tomorrow he will
have been fifty years archbishop,
and will receive, amidst unique
surroundings, the fluctuations and
good wishes of representatives of
the whole Christian world. Though
Leo NH. was but little heard of
previous to his accession to the
Pontifical throne, upon the death
of Plus | y in 1873, he has since that
time been the most striking
figure of all those on the theatre of
European affairs not excepting
Bismarck and Mr.. Gladstone. His
Holiness has been associated with
more words of enduring impor-
lance than any living sovereign, or
any Pope that ever previously
lived. He is the 25Sth Pope in sue
cesSiOn from st. Peter, with the
exception of those known in his
tory as the Avignon Popes who
were compelled to abandon Rome
and take up their residence at
Avignon; he has been the only
Pope since the days of Constantine
who saw the political prestige of
the Papacy remain in the shadows
of the Quirinal and the See of Peter
acknowledge submission to the
scepter of the Caesars.
Unlike his predecessor who sue
ceeded to the Vatican when the
See of Rome ruled over the States
of the church and when the arms
of France or those of Austria guar
anteed the rights of temporal
sovereign, Leo Mi assembled the
Papal Throne when it was stripped
of much of its ancient glory and
was but the shadow of it's former
self. And yet the papacy is today
more influential and more accep-
ted among christians than ever
before. He was born, the son of
an Italian count, at Carpinetti, on
March 2nd., 1910. He began his
academical studies at the Roman
college for which he entered the
academy of noble eccleSiaSticS at
Rome, an institution endowed
by the MedCciS the OrSinfS and
other noble families for the special
purpose of educating ecclesiaStics
of rank. Here he attracted the
notice of Gregory XVI. who made
him a prelate Of his household and
a referee in matters appertaining
to ecclCSiaStic discipline within the
Vatican. Italy was at this time in
a disOrganiZed political condition
and he was soon after entrusted
with the position of delegate at
BeneVente. He was later trans
ferred to Perugia, of which place
he was made bishop. There he
made the acquaintance of the fam
lily of the present apostolic delegate
in America Mr.. SatOlli. On Febru-
ary 10, 1913, Gregory recalled him
from Perugia and appointed, him
titular archbishop Of Damietta.
He was then only thirty-three
wears old and was soon after made
papal nunciO at Brussels. There
he made the acquaintance of the
niece of King Leopold, the present
queen of England. Upon leaving
Brussels the King asked the Pope
to promote Archbishop Joachim
Pecchi, and when he returned to
Rome he delayed the presentation
of the Kings letter to the Pope I'M
til his friends at Perugia got out
testimonial requesting the Pope to
appoint him archbishop of that
place. "Accept the See of Perugia"
said Gregory, and you will soon
receive a cardinals bat. On ia
nuary 10, 1916, he was made cardi-
nal in Petto. He became cardinal
prince in January 1858. In
1873 on the third ballot he was
elected pope. Cardinal Franchi
throwing his votes to him. The
leading features of his papal career
are the settlement of the "Kultur-
kampf" in Germany, in which he
had Bismark to contend with. His
attempt to unite the eastern and
western churches is still in abey-
ance. His instructions to the
Catholics of France to acknowledge
the republic strengthened him
there. His labor encyclical was
another marked event in his life.
His appointment of Archbishop
Satolli as American Ablegate in
opposition to all the American
ArchbishOps, except two, is the
most remarkable act of his event
full career