Omaha daily bee., 1902-03-02

seems to be out of his power. A portrait
painted about twenty years ago distressed
him that he looked so aged, and he re-
monstrated gently, Mon enfant, les papes
mont pas d'age."
The pope is fond Of the sea, and once
mounting to a high point Of the vatican
garden, where he could see the Mediter-
ranean, and turning to his companion, with
a sigh, he used for the first time since his
Imprisonment" a phrase which might have
been construed as impatience at his cap
%tivity."
"Ah," he said. how I wish l could go
to sea again. 1t would really renew my
youth. l wildly remember, although 1t is
ffty-five years since l was near the sea, how
cool the water was, how invigorating and
what pleasure l took in swimming"
Some Labor
The peaceful precincts Of the vatican,
one would imagine, would be the last place
in which a strike would be organized and
carried out; nevertheless, not long ago
two strikes were only averted by the tact
of the pope. In the first instance, the
bearers of the p%ontiff's sedan chair, having
conveyed his holiness some distance In his
own domain, planted him on the ground
and basely deserted him, leaving, however,
their leader to explain thai the usual
Christmas bounty of 925 had not been
forthcoming in the year in question, and
their action-they had not gone far and
were still within call-had been taken in
order to emphasize the depth of their
grief. In the second instance the ~palatine
guard struck for more pay, better barracks,
the right of salute and an easier fitting
uniform. Their barracks were SO unhygienic
that tho o,,o nj trr,rn Ill 4AG 49,
tism and toothache.
A large number are employed at the
vatican for the sole purpose of keeping the
pope's wardrobe in perfect condition. No
spot or stain may d~ishgure the garments
worn by his holiness, and as he always
appears in white, a few hours wear de-
prives the robes of their freshness. Only
the most delicate materials are used, MORE
SILK being the summer fabric and a specially
woven fine cloths in the winter months.
During the holy year, 1900, the pope off,
ciated at seventy functions in st. Peters;
he received 225 p~ilgrimages; he spoke to
over 4,OOO personages, to whom he gave
audience; he issued eight encyclicals, he
wrote twenty apostolic letters and COM
posed several poems. "a Prayer to Christi
was the prayer written for the beginning
OF the new century. During the pontifcate
of Leo XIII, 1874 cardinals have died, only
four are still alive who were his fellow
cardinals under Plus TX.
Elaborate Ceremonies.
One of the most elaborate of Roman
ceremonies is that Of opening Porta Santa
or Holy Door. This is the door leading
from the porch into the Cathedral of ST,
Peter. The ceremony was performed by
the pope in person on Christmas eve, 1899,
and closed on Christmas eve, 1900. During
the holy or jubilee year, when 1t was open.
all pilgrims who desired to profit by the
plenary indulgence of the pope, passed
through the door. The ceremony had its
origin in the ceremonial opening of the
golden gate of the city Of Jerusalem on
Palm Sunday, which occurred for MANY
centuries until that city fell into the hands
OF the Turks, and was founded on a tradi-
ton that our Lord passed through that
gate of the city at the time of his triumphal
entry on Palm Sunday, when the gate
opened of its own accord.
The opening and closing of the Porta
Santa is attended with imposing cere-
monial, preceded by a procession in which
the pope, the cardinals and distinguished
royal, diplomatic and other visitors take
part. Arrived at the door, the pope goes
NHO bhiOhCB oh WHICH ne is
borne in procession, and armed with a
silver hammer strikes the wall in the
doorway, which has been previously Ioos-
ened, so that 1T falls away at once. in
ward. In a moment the debris is cleared
away by the attendants, who are present |
for the purpose. Bareheaded and with
torch in hand, the pope then passes
through the door, followed by the others
in procession, and proceeding to the high
altar sings the first vespers of Christmas
day. At the closing OF the door. a year |
hence, there is a similar ceremonial. The
stones used for the filling in Of the door
are each inscribed with appropriate scrIp-
tuTal texts.
Another historic occasion is the impos-
lng ceremony of "TUbbedienza." which
takes place once a year in the Sala Regia
in the vatican; the pontiff, robed in cope
and inter, upon his throne, the embodi-
ment spiritual and temporal of the religion
he represents and serves so faithfully, re-
ceiVes the reYerential devotion of the oar