The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-02-06
BURNED IN ST. PETER.s.

rnent at the vatican because there was
so little money among the Christmas
gifts received bv the holy father he
usually receives enough or that occasion.
IL addition to tie regular Peters pence.
10 pay the running expenses OF the
pontifCal household Tor month or more
and to allow him % make liberal Gona-
tions 10 needy churches. but this year
the amount OF cash was smaller thar i
has been any year during the reign OF
Leo XIII. and he has been compelled
u deny himself the qualification ne an
ticipated. The other day. n CONVERSE
ton with q Drelste from South America.
The pope expressed his disappointment n
such serious tones that the Vls TOR went
back &c his hotel ana sent u tie Vatican
81 the money he had brought 20 pay his
expenses. The falling CT in the revenues
&c the church is easily 1ccounted for.
The largest gifts used tc come from The
rich religious brothernCods watch have
recently beer expelled from France and
have been subjected 70 enormous losses rs
well as 10 considerable expense in finding
new homes. The Catholic nobility and
aristoeracy Of France are out &C tenn
per and are rot disposed TO contribute.
They blame Cardinal Rampolla for his
cOnciliatory policy toward the French re-
public. which they claim has resulted in
the expulsion OF the monks. The Cath
olics in England are unable 70 pay much
because they are heing 50 heavily taxed
By their own government 70 meet the
expenses Of the Boer war. Every Cath
Ole country in EUROPE except italy is
suffering from general financial ard in
dUstriai depression The South American
countries are wracked with revolutions
and threatened with wars, and the Uni
ted States is the only country in which
prosperity prevails.
This IS the gossip one hears about the
Catholic clubs of Rome, and there IS no
doubt more or less truth in Il. although
the circuUstantiaI evidence is on the
other side. The finances Of the church
are kept with great secrecy, although
some OF the cardinals are accustomed To
gossip among their intimate friends. and
those friends repeat what they hear. with
more or less exaggeTation. The pope
may be very poor. bat he has just paid
the last installment Of the price OF the
finest collection of papal coins and medals
In the world. and has added 10 the al
ready rich numismatic museum OF the
Vatican. In order to secure it he was
compelled 10 bid against the King Of
Italy. the South Kensington Museum and
several wealthy private collectors. The
French government intended 20 be a
bidder, but when it was Known that the
holy father wanted the collection for the
Vatican it withdrew.
The sum paid is not known, but it
must have been very large. because Of
the value of the collection For twelve
centuries the church issued regular coin
age, beginning with Gregory III. in the
eighth century. and continuing to the
overthrow of the temporal power in 1870
and at various periods several Of the
papal states had their own coinage. espe-
cialy IN the middle ages. Examples are
very rare and valuable and are seldom
found except in the Oldest museums.
The collection which the pope has re-
Gently purchased is said 20 be the most
complete one in existence and to include
examples of every coinage without
break. There are more than 1908 gold
coins Of an intrinsic value of one dollar
or more; loo antedate the sixteenth cen
fury, and they are almost unique, hav-
ing no fixed value. but worth any price
that collectors may he able or willing
to pay for them. In addition 20 the papal
coins the collection contains coins issued
by the Roman senate and empire and
very rare ones issued by the temporary
republics of Rome in 1893 and 1Ss9.
The collection was made by the ances-
tors of the late Cardinal Randi and was
begun several hundred years ago. His
heirs offered il first TO the pope under
a clause in the Will of the late cardinal
He did not bequeath it to the Vatican
museum, as he might have done, but
merely expressed the wish that the coins
might enrich that Institution So as 10
furnish assistance TO those VINO desire
to study the history. the arts and the
archaeology of the church. After waiting
several years for the heirs TO take the
initiative, an inquiry was instituted and
much 70 the surprise Of everybody they
demanded the fun value Of the collection
in cash and minated their intention 20
offer it at auction. Rather than permit IL
TO leave Rome the pope paid the price
demanded. with the understanding that
the amount should not be disclosed
Among other new regulations intro
duced by the municipality OF Rome since
the present civil government came into
power in 1870 is one forbiddine the bu-
rial of the dead in the crypts Of churches
for sanitary reasons. Nobody can be
buried within the City limits except la the
Vatican, which is under the control Of
the pope. and the civil authorities are
not supposed to know or TO care 10 have
anything TO say about what goes on
there. When the pope dies hts body viii
be deposited in st. Peters Cathedral for
two years. or until his successor pre-
pares a proper tomb for him. This is an
ancient custom.
The Capuchin monks are no longer bu-
ried in those celebrated vaults IN the
basement of their church, which are
filled with earth from Jerusalem. Up 10
a few years ago when a monk died his
body was embalmed and laid At rest up
on bed made OF the bones OF his prede-
cessors. or fastened upright against the
wall among the skulls OF 400 members
Of that order. They are arranged IN q
most artistic manner and q large revenue
is derived by exhibiting them.
Six women are buried IN St. Peters
Cathedral. One OF them. Agnes Caetani
COlOnna. was the sister of Pope Martin
Y, who not only gave her a tomb there.
but erected in her honor one az the hand
soonest OF monuments. She was rClated
10 two % the most famous families ~
Rome. the Caetani ard ths Colonna, and
was noted for her beauty ard accom-
,Aisbments.
The most famous u the favored six
was the Princess Christina ~ Sweden.
whose father was GustaFius aooiplus.
the greatest defender II Professionalism IN
history. the leader Of the Reformation,
who fought Jac thirty wears war 10
overthrow the Catholic church and es-
tablish the doctrines taught - Martha
Luther His daughter was converted 10
Catholicism IL l.ssa. and vas .uvitel ~
Rome. where the pops and the cardinals
received her with the greatest cist.nc-
ton and the people paid her rc-al hcn-
ors She was admitted 70 the church
with great ceremony. baptized in 81
Peters bv tie pope himself. ara given
4 ualace a-d Q pension 81 order that an
tho world Should know ard bear III mind
that Tie daughter Of tLa great Protest
ant warrior had renouuced IRE religion
FOR which he fought
Nsar Christina sleeps tbe countess Ma
tilda q Tuscany. who Was gwen
grave ia ST. Peters because wlrl she