The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-07-21
BRIEF: BIOGRAPHY.
Important Epochs in the Life
of Leo XIII.
EVENTFUL P0NTI FICAT {
Was Ever NatchfuI for the
Interest of the Church.
:VENTFUL P0NTI FICAT E

his ldte HOLINESS was born at Car
pinete in the diocese of Anagni. in the
papal states, on March 2, 1910, being chris
tened under the name of Joachim Vincent.
The society Of Jesus, which it was after
wards the first care of his pontifcate 10
restore &c its ancient position in the coun-
els of the church, was entrusted with
his education, young Pecci being sent at
the age of years to the Jesuit college
at Virberbo. where he remained until his
fourteenth year. AT this time his mother
died and he shortly afterwards proceeded
TO Rome to continue his studies at the
Jesuit college in that city. When he was
eighteen years old he secured the first
prize for chemistry and physics. His apti-
tude for natural science, however, in no
way interfered with his taste for litera-
ture and classical studies and even in
these early days he was remarkable for
the elegance and purity OF his Latin
which subsequently found such notable
expression not only in his encyclicafs
and ecclesiastical work, but in the high
er plane of poetry. He obtained, in 1881
the degree of doctor of divinity and en-
tered the Academy of Noble Ecclesiastics
to study law and diplomacy and thus
qualify himself for joining what may be
termed the papal diplomatic service and
become conversant with the system OF
the spiritual government under which
a new pontiff is almost invariably chosen.
In 1897 Joachim Pecci received the sub
diacOnate and diaconate and on March
IA of the same year Gregory XVI. made
him domestic prelate, his first promo
tion with the title of monsignor.
SAID HIS FIRST MASS.
On December % 1887, ne was ordained
by Cardinal Odescslchi, saying his first
mass in the chapel at ST Stanislaus at
the Jesuit noviciate of St Andrea. Early
in 1888 Mr.. Pecci was named governor
of the papal province OF Bonevento, and.
like Sixtus V. busted himself with the
suppression of bragandage. In connec-
ton with this work the following story
was told of Mgr. Pecci. A certain mar
quis called one day TO protest against
what he considered the interference Of
the governor and informed the latter that
he was just starting for Rome to pro-
cure his recall
Have you considered the step well,
Marquis?" asked Mgr Pecci
Yes, Monsignor,' said the other, land
I'm going at once
To this the governor rejoined:
Resolutions of this kind should be well
considered at leisure. You will do me
the honor of staying here at present.
That same night the marquis. was sur
rounded and twenty eight brigands Of
whom he was patron and chief, were
arrested, or shot. From Bonevento to
Mgr. Pecci was transformed to the gov
ernorship of Perugia, wnere ne remalns,d
for a year and a half. 1-Ae young &C.
clesiastic in 1S43 was called to exercise
his talents in a more important post. be-
ing consecrated bishop of Damietta in Par
THUS and sent TO Brussels as papal nun
clio.
II was as representative of the Vatican
in the Belgian capital that he first gain
ed the political insight and experience
which have been one of the principal
of his tenure of his ponti-
hcal throne.
DECORATED WITH AN ORDER.
Mgr. Pecci remained over three years
in Belgium and on his recall to Italy was
decorated with the grand Gordon OF the
Order Of Leopold.
After leaving Brussels the nuncio paid
a visit TO London. This was in Febru-
airy. 1876 and in the same year he was
archbishop of Perugia He
continued in this position for the thirty
two years which interviewed before his
election to the highest position in the
church, his tenure of the Episcopate CO.
reign of Plus TX.
In his Episcopal labors the archbishop
showed no less energy and zeal than he
had displayed as governor of a pontifcal
state. Among other achievements he sue
ceeded in purging the archdiocese or bril-
gandage and at a certain time all the
prisons under his spiritual Jurisdiction
were empty. Such success did not pass
unnoticed and in 1850 Mgr. Pecci was
elevated 10 the dignity of cardinal priest
At the consistory held in 1877 Cardinal
Pecci was appointed camerlingo of the
Roman church. which gave him chief
charge of the temperatures of the Holy
See. In this capacity it fell to his task
TO make the necessary arrangements FOR
the conclsve for the election Of the new
Pope after the death of Piux TX in Febru-
airy 1873 The conclave lasted thirty
six hours and at the third ballot Cardinal
Pecci was elected supreme pontiff and
took the name of Pope Leo. after the
famous Pope Leo y for whom he had a
great veneration. He was crowned on
March with the tiara. or triple crown.
the ceremony taking place. nos IN ST Pc
tiers. where all his predecessors but ore
had been crowned since 1855 but in the
sistine chapel in the Vatican. where The
conclave had been held
Public opinion regarded the new Pope
&C characterized above all things by
love Of peace. and il was expected tha.
de- aIting from the non possumus policy
with the Italian government and thus pu,
&c an end 70 the antagouism between the
Vatican and the quir.naI But the vas
soon undeceived. and. in his first eucycli
cal. promulgated al the Easter following
his accession. Pope Leo XIII unhesitat-
insly maintained his demand for the Ie-
storat.on Of the temporal power OF The
Fapsoy. nor did he ever recede from the
Position then taken up.
A. the same time. the policy OF the
Roman cu-ia certainly underwent 4 de-
velopmeut in the direction OF moderation.
which sreatly contributed 70 Increasing
the influence OF the Vatican abroad.
INTEREST IN SOCIAL QUESTIONS.
From the very outset the new portir
displayed the greatest interest in the So
oial questions sgftating the world OF
today and in an e,cylciicsl issued IN De-
cernhar IS-S anrs.lss % n. Irtelfectaral