The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-07-25
WHERE IS The
RING OF PETER
Tremendous Sensation Caused at the
Vatican by Story That It Has
Disappeared.
Pope Leo's Chamberlain Cannot Elk
plain the Mystery-It's a Ring
Of Great Antiquity.
New York Sun Special service

New York, July 25.-The Herald's Rome
correspondent cables the following:
The ring of the fisherman, which should
have been found on the hand Of the pope,
has disappeared. 1t is not so much
question Of its intrinsic value, for the ring
of the fisherman Is used to seal the papal
bulls and is the outward sign of the au-
thority of the pope
1t Is supposed to have belonged origin
ally to the Apostle Peter, and is, at any
rate, Of great antiquity. Several times in
the history OF the papacy 1t has disap
peared but has always turned up again.
When the cardinal camerlengo certif1es
the death of the pope he receives the
ring of the fisherman from the chamber
lain of his holiness. It is then broken in
the presence of all the cardinals at the
first meeting Of the sacred college held
after the pope's death. Later it Is mended
and given to the new pope.
But when Cardinal Oreglia, the present
camerlengo, had certified to the death of
Leo Kill, Mgr. Bisletti was prey to
the deepest despair and had to admit that
the ring had disappeared. Cardinal
Oreglia, who had, as is the custom,
brought his declaration of having re-
ceived the ring from the papal chamber
lain all written out, had to put it back in
his pocket.
Mgr. Bisletti can give no clue as to the
between the death of the pope and the
morning Of the following day when Car
dinal Oreglia officially certified to his
death. In this time a large number Of
persons entered the death chamber.
The disappearance Of the ring has
caused tremendous sensation at the
vatican, where it is the sole subject of
conversation.
In the meantime in the certificate of
death of Leo XIII. all allusion to receiv-
ing the ring has been suppressed.
Friends Of Mgr. Bisletti hope that when
the seals are removed from the cabinets
Of the late pope, the ring will be found
in one of them, but very little confidence
is felt. The ring should never have left
the pope's hand and everyone denies
having touched it. Fl. ~......
Probably Not Lost.
When the time came to take the fish
er1nans ring from Pope Leo's finger, it
has just developed, another was found in
it's place. This did not surprise anyone,
as generally the pontiff does not wear it,
| the ring being less ornament than an
| unusual seal. At the first meeting of the
congregation of cardinals after the pope's
death, when the famous ring should have
| been broken, the ceremony was omitted
| and it was put on record that the ring fol
| the moment could not be found.
! The fisherman's ring is known to have
been lost twice before. Among the state
papers preserved at Simancas near Valla'
doll, Spain, is a letter from Count Oil
wares, then Spanish ambassador atSRome
to Philip H.. dated September 5, 1888, say
ing: - - ~>=E . 20 a.
| '.Sixtus v. has been very i'll: from anx-
! iety and vexatfon lThei Vexation to which
| I refer was at missing the fisherman
ring He carried it with him in a purse
and he discovered that efhad been robbed
| of it by a cup bearer. foUnfess the publicity
given to the affair :ebHges him to punish
| the man he, will mot do So, such is his
affection for those who serve him. The
pope would do anything to avoid showing
! the world that his confidence had beer
| abused" ss s. -r,!s,=,.
| The ring was lost again in Leo's reign
In September, 1892 the late pope was on
| day mistakenly asked for an audience b!
an underservant and yielding to curiesit!
he granted it, whereupon the man entered
| and kneeling said: rsataq aYir -; i..,7s:,
| your holiness, have to restore to 20,
| what has been loss not only to you bu
to the world ~.. ~ =. .
After these words the man proffered tn
pope the fisherman's ring, which had beef
i found. >.. ISL. r. ", r..
Pope Leo looked at it in, surprise an
then solemnly putting it on his ,finge
said: ~ ..:... ,-r, -.
"The thanks: of the church are due t
you, my son. I shall see that you are re
warded." .''>
The next day the man called at TIL
treasury and was given three dollars.
The ring has never been seen sine
Pope Leo privately hid it or locked !
away unseen by anyone, SO great was hi
fear Of losing It again. SO far 1t ha
not been discovered, but the vatican au
thorities assure the Associated Press tina
the ring will undoubtedly be found.
On two other occasions the ring wa
taken from the papacy by force. In 179
the French republicans, invading the papa
states despoiled Plus VI of all his val
tables and among them the fisherman
ring. It was returned the next day as
| has no intrinsic value.
When Plus VII. was kidnapped in tn
middle of the night and was made to Civ
up this ring, the pope gave it up afte
breaking 1t in two pieces which were KEEP
in Paris until removed to Rome by Loui
XVIII.
/ a IS b