New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-08-02

active role the United States being represented
within the Sacred College by Cardinal Gibbons
and without by Father Meyer. the influential
American born deputy general Of the Order of
the Jesuits, well as by several transatlantic
preIates-it may be Of timely interest to men
ton that the Pontifcal Court is not composed
exclusively Of ecclesiastics. There are a large
nunlber Of purely temporal dignities and Offices.
some Of them Of great antiquity. and several OF
which are held either by Americans or else by
European noblemen married 10 women born oH
this side OF the Atlantic Ocean. In certain
cases these offices are hereditary in the fam
flies by the chiefs Of which they are held. while
IN other instances they are Of an honorary char
acter. and are merely conferred upon the holder
for his own life in recognition Of some service
rendered 10 the Church.
Pre-eminent among all the temporal dlgnities
OF the PontifcaI Court is, Of course, that of
Prince Assistant Of the Pontifical Throne vested
Jointly i'm the illustrious patrician houses Of
Colonna and Orsini. This Office dates back to
the reign Of Pope Sixtus V, and was conferred
by that Poutif upon the chiefs of the CoIonnas
ana Of the Orsinis Of the day, with the object Of
putting an end to the which had until
that time been carried on for hundreds Of years
BY these two rival families against each other.
From the eleventh 10 the sixteenth century
the fights between the Colonnas and the Orsinis
constantly caused blood to flow in the streets
Of Rome. A Colonna is on record as having
boxed the ears Of the Pope, while an Orsini
drove another PontiT out Of the Eternal City.
At length. when an Orsini and a Colonna had so
Tar forgotten the respect due to the Holy Father
as "a draw their swords upon each other when
IN his presence, he with the object Of parting
them, ordered one to take up his position on the
right OF the Papal throne and the other on the
dor
standing that peace between the two families
should from thenceforth be maintained con-
verted into hereditary dignities these positions
10 the right and TO the left of the throne, the
Orsinis and the Colounas taking it in turn TO
have the place on the right.
owing 10 the ruin and disaster that have over
taken the Orsinis. whose chief has been deprived
by the courts OF the control Of his property
p sDendthrift at the request of his family it
IS the head Of the Colonnas. Don Marc Antonio,
Who is now alone to fulfil the duties Of Prince
"StatorS ProxiInus a Solo Pontihcis Maxim"
As such. ne has 10 attend every ceremony at
which the Pontlf appears, standing Immediately
70 the right Of the Holy Father on the dais be-
side the throne On such occasions he is ar
rayed in sixteenth century costume Of black
silk. with slashed doublet and hose, black silk
stockings silver buckled shoes, lace collar, lace
sleeves and rapier with steel hilt, etc. It is
70 him that are given the palms and the candles
10 present to the Holy Father to bless, and
formerly when the Popes were still accustomed
70 drive about Rome. il was the prince assist
ant who preceded on horseback the Pontiff's
carriage. II the Pope himself went horse
back il was the prince assistant who held the
stirrup for His Holiness TO mount, and who led
the horse
The house Of CoIonna, TO which the daughter
Of Mrs. John ". MacIzay belongs by marriage,
has furnished at least half dozen Popes TO
the Catholic Church including Marcel, who
resigned IN 304 and Martin Y. who occupied the
chair Of St Peter IN 1417. According to tradi-
ton II owes its name 10 its possession Of what
IS alleged 10 be a portion OF the column to which
Christ was tied when scourged on the eve Of his
crucifxiou and which is still preserved as a sa-
cred heirloom by the family, having been
brought from Jerusalem in the first century OF
the Christian era It IS the principal treasure,
of course Of the grand Old Coonna palace,
which built away back in the fourteenth
century on the Square Of the Apostles, in Rome,
and which has had among its occupants Popes
Martin and julius II, as well as that celebrat-
ed Cardinal Borroueo who was subsequently,
canonized as ST. Charles. Don Marc Antonio
Colonna was formerly principal chamberlain Of
the now widowed Queen Margherita, but was
his connection with the court Of the Quirinal on
The death Of his father in order to take up the
latter's hereditary Office Of Prince Assistant Of
The Holy See. AS he has 20 son, this particu-
jar dignity VIII at his death come into posses
sion OF his second brother, Don Fabrizio. who is
popular figure al the court Of the Quirinal
member Of the italian Senate and colonel Of
Italian cavalry; & third brother, Don Prospero,
likewise a Senator. is Mayor Of Rome
Strictly speaking. with the advent Of the new
Pope 10 the throne, the position on the right
thereof should fall to the lot Of the head Of the
House Of Orsini, the Colonnas having held it
throughout the reign Of Leo XIII. But. as stated
sbove, Prince Philip Orsini is insoIveut. has
been legally declared spendthrift, and has
been pronounced in court TO be weak-minded
His eldest son. Don DoTnenico, Prince Of Solofra.
has made an unfortunate marriage, which has
on several occasions occupied the attention Of
the tribunals. while Leo XIII died before being
able 10 accomplish his project of causing Don
Philip and Don Domenlco 10 waive their rights
81 favor Of the old Princes youngest son non
Lelo, an officer Of the Pontifcal Guard and p
particular favorite Of the late Pope So II fe
practically certain that The Colonnas viii cor-
tnue 70 hold throughout the new reign their
place on the right Of the PontidcaI throne. The
place on the left IS never occupied since neither
the Orsinis nor the CoIonnas have ever baen
willing 70 figure on state occasions in = .r7osi-
ton OF inferiority 70 each other.
Another hereditary dignity in connection with
the Papal Court IS that OF Marshal OF The E5ol,,
Seat and Of the Conclave. which for +5a -
two hundred years has been vested IN, t,. 80
Of the House OF Chlgi, the present bearer o4 tho
title being Don Mario man Of about saze,,+,,
years who is married TO Princess AntoiDet+e NJ