The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-07-26
THE LEADING CARDINALS
IN ROME RAMPOLLA RANKS POPU-
LARLY AS "THE" CARDINAL.
The Next Pope May he a Giant Conn
pared to the Fragile LeO-Oreglia
Is Survival.
New York Evening Post.


OF the cardinals in the Roman Curia the |
most conspicuous is Rampollo, secretary of
state archpriest of the Basilica of St.
Peters and grand prior of the Knights of
Malta The most conspicuous, but not by
that fact the most likely to become Pope.
A conclave is just as liable to develop a
dark horse" as is a national convention in
this country But in Rome, when you say
simply 1.-THE cardinal" it goes without say
ing that you mean Rampolla. He officiates
at the great ceremonials in St Peters,
thousands of people from all over the globe
see him and discuss him, and remember
him after they have left Rome. His ap-
pearance and manner all contribute to this.
Emphatically he has distinction. He does
things with an air. Tall. broad-shouldered,
straight as ar Indian, robed in his gorgeous
ecclesiastical vestments and with his cir of
weary dignity. he looks the ideal prince of
the church-a grand seigneur. every inch
of him. If he should come into a cafe.
wearing citizens clothes, still believe that
he would have the instantaneous attention
Of every soul in the place. Yet he is any
thing but handsome man. With his cop
perry Scilian complexion and heavy fea-
lures, especially the long nose and large
mouth with thick lips. he might even be
called markedly homely. But a personal
fascination he has beyond question, espe-
cially for women.
I have known scores of women who were
not Catholics and with whom no religious
consideration was involved. who would get
up at unhappy hours in the morning and
go clear across Rome for the chance OF
merely catching a glimpse of Ranlpolla. 1t
may be the fascination of mystery. There
se ntha p0la hrif nf
possibly Mr.. Eddy or the Grand Llama or
Thibet, about whom we know so little Pope
Leo's sayings and doings have been almost
microscopiCally ohronicled for years, but no
one claims to know anything about RAM
polla 1 remember once talking with a
court chamberlain at the Vatican, the
brother of a cardinal He habitually saw
Rampolla every day. But, although L gave
him very good cigar, he vainly spent half
an hour trying to tell me what the man was
| like at close range and what sort OF life he
led, and ended by leaving the impression
that he himself knew nothing whatever
about it, The cardinal has the same power
of completely discharging his face of all
expression. AS he stalks past In the pro-
cessions with that long-skidding stride OF
his the eve almost closed the lips rapidly
and inaudibly mumbling something-devo-
tions we will suppose-he is utterly Sphinx
like. He may be thinking of the heavenly
G S gn s fs Sou awag
with the conviction that, IL this man should
ever become Pope, he would at least make
church history interesting. That is all one
feels safe in saying of him.
ETIQUETTE OF THE CURIA.
The cardinals cultivate invisibility. The
etiquette of the Curia forbids their walking
in the streets. They must drive in closed
carriages and with coal-black horses. Oc-
casionally in villa gardens or out in the
Campagna, they descend to earth and relax
| tba;r in he IGpirtY1l1un II
once saw four cardinals gravely suspend
their promenade to watch one small boy
| trying to get the string of his kite dis
entangled from tree 1 regret to say that
| he finally broke the string, and their emf
nences went away disappointed. But that
incident was exceptional AS a rule. you
| must go to some church when fiesta is
| taking place To see Cardinal Vannutelli,
one should go to Santa Maria Maggiore
| OH Christmas afternoon. AT vespers there
| is procession with relics, the most highly
venerated of which is carried I'm a richly
adorned glass case. IT is reputed to be
nothing less than a portion of the Savior's
cradle. The cardinal archpriest brings up
| the rear, and is visible from afar. If RAM
| pola is tall man, Vannutelli is a slant;
| and / am convinced that the sediarii (the
men who carry the Pope's throne on their
| sholders), must view with CONSERVATION
| even the vaguest rumor Of his succession
| to the almost incOrporal incumbent who has
Should he become Pope, there would in
| deed he a strenuous life. Bishops mitre
| and all. he is simply walking campanile;
| and this is almost comcally emphasized
| by the square. dumping figure of Cardi-
nal Matthew. who for some reason. always
| insists on toddling along just behind him.
| Vannutelli has strong. striking. homeiy
| face. 1t is the face of a man who, by
| hard thinking and sheer merit, has gone
! far: but of personal magnetism not
atom. A vigorous mind in herculean
I.oIx 81 aHr-cfc al raf,. for of a
| termination to rise and to rule. all are
| there. But at the end, you have the feeling
that you have seen another cardinal-and
nothing more. Beside, the climax of his
| splendid abilities is behind him He
has never looked the same man since his
| bitter disappointment at not being made
| project of the Propaganda last summer.
He had served UP to it," as Lord Hoi-
| land said of the treasury, and he fully ex-
| peoted to have II. When first saw him
| after the appointment of his successful
rival. l had difficulty in recognizing that it
was the same Vannuteili. He had suddenly
| grown a soured. morose old man.
GOTTrS CHARACTERISTICS.
The prelate who then stepped in before
bin may very possibly block his aspira-
tions to the papacy as well. Cardinal Gottl
| is usually described by enUmerating all the
things that he isn't. To begin with. he is
not an aristocrat. But that he happens to
! be the son of Genoese laborer is neither
new nor startling in the Roman Catholic
| Church. The first Pope was a
| fisherman. Hildebrand was the son
Of a carpenter. and the one Eng
lsh Pope, Adrian ~, began life
as a beggar boy But the negative side OF
the cardinal goes beyond this. He apper-
tains to no party. he represents no tend
ency Somehow the idea has gained cur
| rency that he Is d Liberal. but one not
| even a Roman correspondent, could in
! stance anything authentic To prove IL
| During the years that he has lived In Rome
| he has carefully avoided being seen in pub
lie except when indispensably necessary
/ and with even Iore care he has avoided