The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-07-26
Figurehead for
Nine Days'dnterregnum.
THE CAMERLENGO'S POWER
Striking Personal and Intellectual Con-
trast Between Him and the
Late Pope.

As the provisional head of the
Catholic Church. the world today looks
to Louis Oreglia di Santo Stefano. For
nine days after the Pope's death, and
during whatever time the conclaye may
be in session. he is the directing instru-
ment Of the church Within the
prescribed limits his power of en-
forcing the laws is absolute. Al
ceremonies he is to be the chief figure
II is he who will preside over The con-
clave, count the ballots cast there, and
announce the result. Finally he will
clothe the new Pope in the robes OF Of
fee at the meeting OF the cardinals, and
then. as a mark Of his return to the
accustomed ways Of life, first make
obeisance 70 the new head of the
church
Appearance of Power
In all this there is the appearance
OF power, as in any ceremonial when
the attention is concentrated upon
single individual as representing a
great organization. But It is an ap-
pearance only. From the first act to the
last there is a requirement laid down
and II is not the Office of the Gamer
lengo TO conduct a funeral and a con-
clave, but TO conduct the funeral and
the conclave that have been appointed
for such a time by the laws of the
church. The observances of those nine
days are the observances that have
marked the passing of other POpes, and
surely a nine days ruler may not de-
part from them. In the concIave II is
possible that change may be intro
duced. but this change is only at the
direction of the Pope who is dead. and
the possibility of its Introduction is de-
termined when the seal is broken on his
private papers.
Another Limitation.
Such, then. IS the first Limitation Of
the power of Cardinal Oreglia. Gamer
lengo. and dean Of the Sacred College.
to whom the world looks as head of the
Catholic Church. There Is another limi-
tation. OF more far-reaching Importance,
That comes through the lapse OF Papal
appointments. in the College OF Cardi-
nails. In effect. the activities Of the va
rious congregations or departments are
suspended from the time one Pope dies
until another is appointed. unless some
emergency arises. In that case it is the
entire college. acting as a deliberative
body. and not the Camerlengo. that de-
termines policy and arranges for its
execution.
The Camerlengo, therefore. Is a great
fgurehead, impressive because of the
organization he represents. but a figure
head nevertheless brought into a little
power for a little time. then to pass
back into the ranks to take up whatever
work may be assigned by the real head
OF the church. a new Pope
A picturesque Figurehead.
1t happens that in the present in
stance this fgurehead is both impress
sive and picturesque. and is made the
more picturesque by a combination Of
circumstances with his own personality.
When Joachim Pecci was under discus
sion in the conclave following the death
Of Pope Plus TX. Oreglia was an open
partisan Of Cardinal Billot.
This was because O-eglia and Pecci
stood for radically different conceptions
Of things in general Both, to be sure.
were OF gentle birth. Both were OF
scholarly attachments and possessed Of
an education that their birth accorded
them, and which differed somewhat. In
that country. from the education attain
able by one OF lowIier antecedents. But
OregIia and Pecci had accumulated diff
ferent standards The one was patrl-
clan Of the patricians. believing most