The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1894-08-29

THE PILGRIMS.
They Arrive in Paris After Visiting
The eternal City and
Lcurdes
His Holiness Pope Leo XII Gives
Them Cordial Welcome
and Blessing.
MANY TOUCHING SCENES.

ness. The Papal master OF ceremonies
had arranged that they were TO be re-
ceived all together, as they dread the
fatigue of a private audience Tor the
Pontiir. but he insisted on receiving each
separately, which was great honor, and
shows that the Americans are as much
in favor at the Vatican as at the Quirnal
AT seven a. m. all had arrived at the
Vatican, and after traversing some mag
niiicent stair-cases leading to the private
apartments of the Pontiff, we arrived in
frescoed sala. The curious were kept
interested by the various Swiss guards,
in yellow, red and black, gentlemen OF
the court in dress clothes, with large
gold chains over their shirt blossoms,
noble guards, etc, until, gloves having
been ordered off, we passed into an adj
joining chapel, built by Clement VII,
and magnifcently hung with rose silk
damask, under frieze OF fresco. in
tercepted DR.. Lapponi, His Holiness
doctor, who greeted me by saying, "Oh,
hul You have come to see for yourself
if the Holy Father is in good health"
but he seemed to have no fear that
should find that he had deceived me.
THE POPE APPEARS.
After we were all quietly seated ex-
pectaton rose higher and higher as the
moment approached in which many
would realize the dream OF years. There
was quiet drawing back Of curtain,
subdued murmur, and the head OF the
church stood before us. In white from
head to foot, he mounted to the altar
and mass began. / am now perfectly
convinced that all talk of i'll health and
approaching death are fctions. He is
strong and energetic, with voice firm,
and no more bent than his studious hab-
its would occasion. The man who, at
eighty-four years Of age, could celebrate
mass for over an hour, with the thermo-
meter at 90 degrees in the shade, in in
Vulnerable heavy robes, with clear voice,
and firm foothold, cannot be very in
firm. After mass his chair was placed
Ill IGOnl vi bilc ullu OhO w INV w
advanced. 1t was touching scene and
Fone well worth coming thousands OF
miles to participate in. The morning sun
shining in through silken curtains on
hundred kneeling figures, with earnest
upturned faces, the low murmur of
voices in prayer, while in the distance,
waited on the breeze, came the strains
of martial music from the defenders OF
the kingdom OF Italy. Did the Pontih
hear and heed? If so no sign of bitter
ness appeared on that kind, old face.
The priests were first received, and as
they knelt to kiss his hand the Pontif
took the opportunity to say that, while
granting them the faculty OF giving the
Papal blessing to their hocks;
"The, American people are very dear
to me, and pilgrimage OF this kind OF
my children is most acceptable to the
Holy See, and hope to see not only you
all again, but many more OF your fellow
countrymen, This is a pious work,
always upheld by the church"
The rosaries and relics were then bless
ed, and each person passed up to be re-
ceived with few kind words and a
fatherly handshake. Some OF the good
ladies' were Enabled to contain their
emotion and tears rolled down their
faces.
REMARKABLE MEMORY.
During this time the Pope exclaimed
frequently: 30 che buon popolo F!
Ruanta iede Quanta pleta!" ("What
good people! What faith What
pietypr His Holiness showed his re-
lnarkable memory by saying to each per-
son when his or her diocese was men,
toned the name OF the bishops AS
there were twenty dioceses repr, sented
il was a marvellous display OF know
ledge. The ceremonies lasted about
three hours, after which the Vatican
gardens were visited.
Father f. NJ. Porcile, the director OF
the pilgrimage, presented tie Holy
Father 81, 800 the annual Offering OF the
diocese OF Brooklyn, aud about 500 OF
private contributions from those pres
ent, which were presented in bag lent
for the occasion by Miss Catherine Bull,
OF New York.
THE HEALTH or THE POPE.
The Pope has been very much annoy
ed at the news Published 10y the London
Times and the Fremdeublait as TO the
condition OF his health not being good.
10 have positive information on the sub
: iect went TO see Professor Giuseppe
Lapponi, who has been for five years the
personal physician Of His Holiness and
lives in the Via Lcccosa in the same
house in which lived Commentators
Ceccarelli, the former doctor. of the Holy
Father, who died last year
As soon as he saw me, before | uttered
word, he exclaimed, 81 know what you
have come for, You wish to know Il the
Pope is III. Well. no, tn Pope has not
the slightest Illness. lie has never been