The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1894-03-31
The Duties and the Rites Which
fake Up About All Of His
lime
He Is Governed by ths Severess
Simplicity IA All His
Eating.
Masses aud Audisnees with subcrd uate'
q Day Of Labor From Morning
TIL Night


mass. which is served by two Of his pri
vate chaplains the pope having six chap
lains-and then he hears another, called
the mass Of thanksgiving. celebrated by
one Of his ohaplains and occasionally by
one Of his secretaries.
After these two daily masses the pope
breakfasts. This is a very simple meal,
consisting all through the year Of simple
coffee and milk. with bread. and nothing
more. Then his receptions begin. First
OF all. as a general rule. he receives Cardi-
nal Rampolla. the secretary OF state. lie
presents TO the pope the documents re-
ceved at his Office IN e day before, OF those
which should be furnished with the sig
nature Of the pope, and which should be
dispatched 90 their destination during the
day. This audience, which lasts over an
hour, and which is a. one may well i'm
agine. Of the profoundest interest, does
not take place on Tuesday or Friday. On
these days the pope receives the emhassa-
doris snd ministers, representatives Of for
eign governments 20 the holy see. When
there are documents on these days 70 be
signed 10y the pope, they are brought by
the under secretaries Of state.
The second reception Of the day Is given
90 cardinals. the heads OF ecclesiastical
congregations. the generals OF religious or
ders and personages or dignataries hav-
ing special business with the holy see.
After this reception, il the season is win
ter and the weather happen to DO good,
the pope interrupts the course Of audi
ences i'm order to take a walk for half an
hour or 90 ina the Vatican gardens.
At O'Clock the pope dimes, following
In this the custom Of the Romans. This
IL the ordinary rule. but it happens. espe-
cially when there are many receptions or
audiences 10 he granted, that he remains
till or even 3 o'clock before dining. The
severe simplicity which marked the break
fast is followed IN the dinner This con-
sists of a soup, nearly always of some form
OF macaroni; Of plate of meat, with an
accompaniment Of fried potatoes or other
vegeta bles Then follows fruit. Of one
sort, and this completes the meal The
pope never eats boiled meat or forced meat
or cheese. He drinks little wine old
bordeaux, which is supplied 70 him from
the vineyard Of a convent OF nuns in the
south of France. As a general rule, the
pope reads the newspapers during his din
ner.
requires. When he wishes to show special
favor TO a Roman prince OF some person
age Of distinction, be invites him TO a col
lation. which consists Of coffee and milk
taken with him after mass. In order, be
sides, to obtain this favor It is necessary
that the person may have had the honor
Of being admitted 10 the pope's mass and
Of having received communion from his
hands. This Of itself is a great distinc-
tion, bat il does not necessarily imply the
other-of being invited TO breakfast with
him. In the latter case a small table is
prepared for the guest beside that Of the
pontiff When the late Cardinal pecci,
brother OF Leo XIII, lived in the Vatican,
be frequently went TO the pope when din
ing, but only to keep him company 10
was quite touching 20 hear the cardinal
speak of Leo XIII. There was look Of
veneration in his face, as, with "bated
breath. he referred to my brother. the
sovereign pontid"
After dinner Leo XIII rests for about
an hour in an armchair. He does not fol-
low the Roman custom Of sleeping in the
afternoon. His activity and nervous en-
ergy are too great 20 submit 20 this. In
deed even at night his slumbers are fire.
quently broken. After this rest he takes
walk in the garden, provided the wealth
or is good. These walks are made in com
pany with a cameriere segrelo-an ecclesi-
astic-and a lieutenant Of the Noble
guards When be is tired Of walking. he
enters carriage and is driven in the gar
den. The carriage drive is a little over
mile in length.
On his return from his walk or drive he
again gives audience or receives his secre-
. a.rfaI- "a A a.
evening be takes a cupof broth and a tiny
glass Of bordeaux.
The audiences continue in the evening
from till 10. This rule Of action is liza
BILE 20 be broken in upon at times, for
now and again the pope retires alone into
his study 90 prepare his work for the fol
lowing day. His mode Of preparing briefs
was special. Iu later years, since age has
rendered his hands unsteady, he writes
little in comparison with what be was In
the habit Of writing. His handwriting Is
Of an unusual ueatuess and clearness. 10
resembles print more than writing. and &c
seems 20 have been always thus legible.
/ have seen several letters written by him
while archbishop " Perugia. and they are
models Of penmauship. II was his GUS
tom during the early years Of his pontif-
cate 10 prepare the framework Of his briefs
or letters and give them over % a secreta-
~ % be filled mp. IN these abstracts Ger
tain words were used with special aim,
and the pope always expected that these
words should he retained IN the completed
application Of the letter. On one occa-
sion the completed document had been
handed 10 him, and reading IL he missed
one u these selected words The secreta-
ry was called and asked what had become
OF the word referred 90. His answer was
that be had employed "A word which no
thought better fitted for the sentence.
The pope administered very severe re
proof 90 the secretary, informing him that
the missing word had been selected after
very serious thought, aud on no account
should IL be omitted
In the early years Of his ponti1cate,
also, Leo Mi Was given 20 writing far
into the night. and / remember hearing
one day that nc Q O'clock that morning he
was found asleep with bis head on the
desk and pen in his hand after writing
the whole night through
At 10 In the evening be recites the 70
sary with Mgr. Marzolini one 81 his sec
returiss and pontilcal master n ceremo-
mics, whom be knew AZ a very young boy
IN Perugis, aud who attended the semiua-
~ In that diocese when LEO was archbish-
op. Between 1890 and N the pope re-
tires 90 rest after taking "A cup Of broth
and a small piece of cold meat. His sleep.
as has been said, IL occasionally broken,
especially after a fatiguing day and again
80 the change Of the seasons.-kome Cor.
Baltimore Sun.