The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-11-27

policy, after It's venerable author finds Il
IT'S ablest representative In Cardinal /
Mariana Rampolla the present papal /
secretary OF state and archbishop of ST. (
Peters. who many believe will be the |
next incumbent of the holy sec. Sprung
from an ancient and noble Sicilan fam
ily-in secular life he holds the rank
and title OF Marquis del Tindaro-Car-
dnal Rampolla was educated at the
Capranica, the Jesuit college OF Rome;
passed thence TO the college of ecclesi-
astical mobiles and i'm 1869 when he was
2S years old. was made secretary and
auditor 10 the papal embassy at Mad
rid, subsequently serving as charge
danaires. When Cardinal Simeoni, who
while nuncio at Madrid. had discovered
the young mans genius for affairs. was
made secretary OF state by Plus TX,
Mgr. Rampola was recalled 10 Rome
and promoted to be secretary OF the
propaganda and director OF oriental rite
/ affairs. Later he was made secretary
OF extraordinary ecclesiastical affairs,
where he obtained remarkable insight
into the relations Of the Vatican with
| Germany.
| In 1887 Mgr. Rampolla was created
! cardinal, and in 1883 he became papal
! undersecretary of state, a little later
succeeding Cardinal Jacobni as the
head OF that department Ever since
he assumed his present office Car
dinal Rampolla has been careful TO at
tach himself to no particular party, Of
! which there are several at the Vatican.
| He has been above everything else, the
pope's man rather than the man of
any particular faction, his most re-
markable quality being that of implicit
II.
ally, with tact that belongs 10 by
gone age. won over the holy father. al
most without the latter's knowing ii. to
his own way of thinking. i'm the eyes of
his master as of the outer world he
has appeared to be obeying orders with
out attempting to give any color of his
| own to the acts of Leo XIII.
The triple alliance would probably
raise no objection to the elevation of
Cardinal Rampola, and IT is certain
that il would welcome the choice OF
Cardinal Serafino Vannutell. arch
bishop of Bologna and the member of
the sacred college most openly in favor
Of a full reconciliation between the
church and the Italian government.
Cardinal Vanutelli. who is still under
go. is man of striking appearance and
personality. TALL stately and handsome,
with the head and face of a thinker.
Those who knew him credit him with
extraordinary diplomatic skill. and II
was i'm diplomacy. in fact, that he first
made his reputation.
The other prelates said TO be regard
ed with favor by the triple alliance are
Cardinal San Felce. archbishop of Ma
pies, and Cardinal Capecelatro, the
venerable head of the archbishopric of
Capua Cardinal San Felice. who Is
greatly beloved by his countrymen. Is
said To be the personal choice of King
Humbert, whose friendship and conf
dence he has enjoyed for many years
past. In fact, IL was at the kings side
that. in 1884, he visited the thousands
of sufferers from the cholera outbreak
in Naples and gave many proofs OF a
courage that endeared him to the Ital-
ian people and made him the idol Of the
| Neapolitans.
Cardinal Capecelatro. who is descend
ed from one of the most famous noble
families of the Two Sicilies, the Duke
of Castro Pagano, is the father con-
fessor OF the queen OF Italy and is gen.
| orally supposed TO be the candidate OF
that amiable sovereign. He is perhaps
the most erudite member OF the sacred
college and the author of number of
books. the best known of which are
THE Life of st. Catherine of Sienna"
and "Daltrina Catholica." He was born
in Marseilles. i'm the course of journey
his parents were making in France, and
to this accidental circumstance is part
ly attributed his popularity among the
French cardinals. His claims also md
warm advocates among those or his
countrymen who still believe that the
pope should be of noble birth. His par
ticular friends among the Italian prel-
ates are said to be Cardinals Guarino
and De Ruggero. The aged Cardinal
Bianchi. who was formerly nuncio in
Spain and is greatly beloved by the
Romans: Cardinal Verga. the authority
on canonical law. and Cardinal Swami
pa, the archbishop of Bologna. are also
mentioned as possible successors to the
present pope.
The selection OF a new occupant for
the throne of st. Peter is an imposing
and solemn process. When it becomes
clear that the pope must die, all the
cardinals who are in Rome gather at
the bedside and. kneeing, wait for the
end. The sacristan bishop administers
the yiaticum and the extreme JUNCTION;
the grand penitentiary gives absolution;
the penitential psalms are then intoned;
the sacristan bishop pronounces the
consecrated formula; the dying pope. ~
he has the strength to do SO. gives his
benediction to the assembly, and the
chanting Of hymns for the dead con-
tinues 10 the last. Then the camerlin-
60, TO make the official record of the
death, with a small silver hammer
strikes three light blows on the dead
mans head and calls him by his Chris
tian name. When. I'm 1878, the dead
pope was Plus TX Giovanni Maslai-
FerrettD, the camerlingo, Cardinal Pee
ci. after striking the three blows with
the hammer, called Giovanni! Giovan-
nj! Giovanni and then, turning to the
assembly, said: THE pope is really
dead"
Thereupon while the august assembly
remains kneeling, the camerlingo In
tones the De Profundis. Then the mas
ter of the chambers. removing from the
dead pope's finger the fsherman's ring.