The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-07-08
DAILY LIFE OF THE POPE.
His Work, His Meals, His Sleep and
His Faithful Valet.


A writer in a recent issue OF the
Paris Figaro thus told of the Popes
daily life:
THE greatest modification in Leo
life is his almost entire abandonment
of his walks in the gardens. AS a mat
ter of fact. the Pope himself says
that he has no need of open air. If at
times the heat is excessive it is possible
that he has himself carried in d chair
to the pavilion he has had built on
the highest point in the garden, and
thus enjoys, so to say, little country
life for a few hours but 1 do not be-
lieVe that he cares for this often. In
his apartments the Pope can get, by
going from one room to another, such
slight variations of temperature as are
sufficient for his delicate system.
There are also some changes in his
manner of saying mass. Formerly on
Sundays the Pope celebrated mass in
the large chapel of his apartments and
invited thither persons of note who
were passing through Rome. For more
than two years, however, on Sundays
and weekdays with rare exceptions, he
has said mass in the little chapel next
to his bedroom and no one is admit
ted. His servant Contra assists him.
Nor is this mass said at a fixed hour,
as used to be the custom. Now he
celebrates it at or or even 9-when-
ever he has happened to awaken.
A good idea of Leo's health can be
had from his appetite and his manner
of living. He has always been a light
eater and for several years past, nat
urally, he has eaten less than ever.
Having no teeth and with a stomach
which, always feeble, now digests with
difficulty it is necessary for him to
have a special cuisine.
In the morning Contra brings him
chocolate milk and two very soft
boiled eggs. The kitchen is a story
above the Papal apartments and is con-
nected with them by a narrow and
straight staircase, which is used for
no other purpose. The dishes are
taken first to the credenziera (office),
where Signor Giuseppe Macelli is in
command. He gives them to Contra,
| who is in the antechamber, and the
! latter alone serves Leo and assists him
| at his meal.
Macelli carries first a wicker basket
| in which is a simple copper tray, with
the cover and napkin marked with the
letters rs. A. p" which stand for
Sacred and Apostolic Palace" Then
come the dishes The Pope really takes
| regularly only a bouillion or a potage
which is the chief item of his nourisn-
| ment. The rest of the meal consists OF
| little balls of hashed meat or minced
! chicken, eggs, well-cooked vegetables
| and very ripe fruits. Ordinarily coffee
| is not served, and as to wine, the Pope
| drinks but little, but it is an excellent
claret sent to him from convent in
| Bordeaux. He cuts it, as if with
water, with little white wine OF
| Grottaferrata.
When the dishes have been taker
| back to the Office it is seen that he has
scarcely touched anything; that what
he has eaten would hardly be enough
for a child of 6.
Leo's apartments have no dining
| room. He passes the day in his bed
room, works there, eats there and give:
his ordinary audiences there. The room
is divided by curtain, which conceal!
the bed. Near the curtain and leaning
against the wall are the familiar arm
chair, from which his ideas anC
thoughts go out through the world, anC
little square table. A Yankee o.
English amateur would pay well 70
this piece of furniture, for it is at th
tiny table that the Holy Fathers eat
and wrtes-when he can. Because o
the trembling of his hands the Pop
/ does not write any more. He can hard
ly sign his name.
In his attitude toward those in hi
service Leo has not changed with age
Accustomed to command and himsel
having always been an example of reg
ularity in his work and in the accom-
plishment of his duties, he wishes t.
be served promptly and We'll, and whel
necessary he makes that clearly un
derstood. Recently Monsignor Angel
his particular secretary, man natural
ly nervous, has been spoken to by tn
Pope before everybody in the ante
chamber:
''Monsignor, where was your hea,
when you wrote that letter? You hav
not understood a thing that I said"
tIf Leo has changed much PHYSICAL.
with years there is no failing in hi
intelligence and viii power l can sa,
that no one in his encourage comes be
fore him without a slight quickenint
of the pulse, because nothing escape
HIM and his remarks, although Away
calm, are short and to the point. Their
is no relaxation in him. The Pope /
still the legate, the firm Chamberlail
Pecci
Spanish War Affected His Health
! When the war between the Unite
States and Spain appeared imminen