Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1893-02-18
brief WlRINGS::-
THE PAPAL JUBILEE.
Fifty YeBrs OF POwer-LeO's Progress.
sive WOrk-A Notable Event.

ROME, Italy, Fob. 18.-Leo XIII begins
the celebration of his golden jubilee to-
day. 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
XIII was but little heard of previous to
his accession to the Pontitical Throne
upon the death of Plus TX in 1878, he has
since that time been the most striking
figure of all those on the theatre of Eu-
ropean affairs not excepting Bismarck and
Mr.. Gladstone. His Holiness has been
associated with more works of enduripE
importance than any living Sovereign, or
any Pope that ever previously lived. He
is the 25Sth Pope in succession from st.
Peter, with the exception of those known
in history as the Avignon. Popes who
we're 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 pres
tige of the Papacy remain in the shadows
of the Quirinal and the SEQ of Peter ac-
knowledge submission to fhe Scepter of
the Caesars.
Unlike his predecessor who succeeded
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
guaranteed the rights of temporal
sovereign, Leo XIII ascended the papal
throne when it was stripped of much of
its ancient glory and was but the shadow
of its former self. And yet the papacy is
to-day more influential and more accepted
among christians than ever before. He
was born, the son of an italian count, at
Carpinetti, on March 2, 1910. He began
his academical studies at the Roman col
lege for which he entered the academy of
noble ecclesiastics at Rome, an institu-
tion endowed by the Medlce's, the Orsi-
mis- and other noble families for the
special purpose of educating ecclesiastics
of rank. Here he attracted the notice of
Gregory XVI who made him q prelate of
his household and referee in matters
appertaining to ecclesiastic discipline
within the vatican. Italy was at that
time in disorganized political condition
and he was soon after entrusted with the
position of delegate at Benevento. He
was later transferred to Perugia of which
place he was made bishop. There he
made the acquaintance of the family of
the present apostolic delegate in America,
Mgr. Satolli. On February 10, 1S43,
Gregory recalled him from Perugia and
appointed him titular archbishop of
Damietta. He was then only 80 years 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 Brus-
sells the king asked the pope to promote
Archbishop Joachim Pecchi, and when he
returned to Rome he delayed the presen
tation of the kings letter to the pope
until his friends at Perugia got out a
testimonial requesting the pope to ap
point him archbishop of that place.
accept the See of Perugia," said Gregory,
land you will soon receive cardinals hat.
On January 10, 1916, he was made cardinal
in Petto. He became cardinal prince in
January 1858. In 1873 on the third ballot
he was elected pope, Cardinal Franchi
his votes to him. The leading
features of his papal career are the set
Element ofthe "Culturkampf" in Germany,
in which he had Bismark to contend with.
His attempt to unite the eastern and
western churches is still in allegiance. His
to the Catholics of France to
the Republic strengthened
him there. His labor encyclical was
another marked event is his life. His ap-
pointment of Archbishop Satolli as
American ablegate in opposition to all
the American archblshops, except two, is
the most remarkable act of his eventful
career