The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-22
THE GOLDEN ROSE OF ROME
Interest Manifested as 10 Who Will
Next Receive Ii.
ihe ceremony of Presenting This
DISTINGUISHED MARK Of the Pope'-
Appreciation OF Honor and Dig
nity-The Cost OF Its Manufac-
ture-NhIue OF the sacred Jewel.

The question as to whom Pope Leo viii
select as the worthy recipient OF the Col
den Rose" this year. is at the presen; pc
Rod agitating the minds OF the faithful OF
the Church OF Rome This interesting oc-
casion takes on additional interest by rea-
son OF the recent death at Rome OF Pietso
Santelli goldsmith to His Holiness. The
funeral Of Santeni created a certain
amount Of curiosity by reason Of the ap-
pearance Of all the participating cardinals
and bishops. clad in their scarlet red and
purple festal vestments BY a special order
~ the Pope these high honors were being
paid TO a simple workman. who could not
be counted as belonging 20 the ordinary
people. However. Pietro Santelii. like all
his sirea. a goldsmith. could trace his an
cestry IN direct line back to the fifteenth
century. The family had always lived in
the same humble abode In the immediate
neighborhood Of the Vatican. In the IN
pretentious little salesroom. which had
never been renovated to suit the progress
Of modern enterprise the Rose dor had
been made since many years This Golden
Rose" by order Of the Pope is presented
every year TO that Queen whose behavior
during the past year mas been the best. as
Leo Is in the habit Of half-seriously saying
The Golden Pose" costs His Holiness.
every time 4 Is bestowed the neat sum Of
10000 lire. The santellis alone received
5000 lire thereof
The work connected with the making Of
the rose throughout tedious. and almost a
full year Is required in which to finish il.
The stem % the rose. which is made from
massive gold. measures nearly four feet In
height The large rose. which looks more
like dogrose than a full garden rose. 10
composed Of single leaves. upon which is
engraved the name Of the donor, and the
various virtues with which the recipient
Is blessed The flower leaves are radiant
with innumerable tiny diamonds which
represent the heavenly dew. Many years
ago this giant rose tWig was bedded in ar
elegant casket, upholstered with sky blue
silk, and strewn with a multitude Of Won
derfully engraved little silver roses.
As in the year 1892. when the Pope sent
the rose to Queen Amalie Of Portugal. he
had to foot an enormous extra bill for the
expensive casket. he came to the con-
clusiOn to be more economical in the fu-
ture. Since then the rose is wrapped in q
silken cloth, and placed on a cushion Of
cotton, in modest pasteboard box. The
sending Of the rose alone costs $4,000 lire
This apparently large sum is paid 20 the
two men who have been elected from
among the oldest Roman nobility for this
trust Of confidence The ceremony con-
nected with the handing over Of the papal
gift is somewhat complicated.
A gala state equipage, which is adorned
with a garland Of natural or artificial white
roses. awaits the delegates Of the Prince Of
the Church at the railway depot Arrived
at the courtyard Of the royal castle the
prominent guests from the Eternal City are
greeted by a regiment. uniformed in parade
dress, with the snare Of the drum. The
elder Of the two papal nuncios carries the
rose in his hands. uplifted high, to the re-
ceiving salon Of the Queen where he de-
posits the costly gift upon a little table,
which is covered with a white silver
fringed silken cloth. Immediately there
after a mass is celebrated in the royal
chapel during which the Queen is seated
under a white baldachin. After the mass
the court proceeds to the throne room
which is adorned with the escutcheon OF
the reigning house and the emblems OF
royal dignity. The older Of the delegates
seats himself beside the Queen, whereas
the younger remains standing before her
in reverential attitude, and reads with loud
voice the handwriting of the Pope. al the
same time slowly swaying to and fro the
golden stem. and finally handing it to the
older prelate This dignitary with slowly
uttered words Of blessing, leans the rose
against the heart Of the Queen and pro-
nounces the words. "Ecce Rose Mystica,
donum Sanctissimi PATHS" The recipient
kisses the golden flower and answers: Dec
Gratia.''
The ceremony is concluded with the
chanting Of a triumphant TIE Deum," and
the messengers Of the Pontifex are at once
decorated at the hands Of the King and
Queen with the highest orders Of the land.