Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1903-07-24
POPE LEO XIII.

The late pope was born at Carpinet
in the diocese of Anagni, in the papa
states, on March 2, 1910, being chris
tened under the name of Joachim Vim
cent, his surname being Pecci. Th
society Of Jesus, which it was after
wards the first care Of his pontitical t.
restore to its ancient position in tn
councils of the church, was intruste,
with his education, young Pecci bein,
sent at the age of eight to the Jesui
college at Niberbo, where he remained
until his 18th year. At this time hi
mother died and he shortly afterward
proceeded to Rome to continue hi:
studies at the Jesuit college in tha
city. When he was IS years old he Sc
cured the first prize for chemistry anC
! physics. His aptitude for natural sci
ence, however, in no way interfered
with his taste for literature and class
\ ical studies. He obtained in 1881 the
4 degree Of doctor Of divinity and enter
ed the academy of Noble Ecclesiastics
to study law and diplomacy and thus
qualify himself for what may be term
ed the papal diplomatic service. and
become conversant with the system OF
spiritual government.
In 1887 Joachim Pecci received the
sub-diaconate and diaconate and in
March the same year Gregory XVI.
made him domestic prelate, his first
promotion with the title of monsignor.
On Dec %, 1887, he was ordained
priest by Cardinal Odescalchi, saying
his first mass in the chapel of ST.
Stanislaus at the Jesuit novitiate of
st. Andrea. Early in 1889 Mgr. Pecci
was named governor of the papal prov
ince of Benevento and, like Sixtus v. i,
busted himself with the suppression
of brigandage.
From Benevento Mgr. Pecci was
transferred to the governorship of Pc
regia, where he remained for a year
and half The young ecclesiastic, in
1913, was cousecrated bishop of Dami-
eta in partious and sent to Brussels
as papal nuncio. 1t was as represen
tative Of the. Vatican in the Belgian
capital That he first gained his pom
tifical insight and experience. Mgr.
Pecci remained over three years in
Belgium and on his recall to Italy was
decorated with the grand Gordon of
the order of Leopold
After leaving the puncio paid visit
to London. This was in February,
1916, and in the same year he was cou-
secrated archbishop of Perugia He
continued in this position 81 years.
which interviewed before his election
his tenure of the episcopate conincid-
reign of Plus TX. In 1850 Mgr Pecci
alnYatnI 70 ha -
priest.
At the consistory held in 1877 Cardi-
nal Peccl was appointed camerlingo of
the Roman church, which gave him
chief charge of the Temperatures of the
holy see. In this capacity it fell to his
task to make the necessary arrange
ments for the conclave for the election
Of new pope after the death of Plus !
IN, in February, 1873 The conclave |
lasted 36 hours and the third ballot !
Cardinal Pecci was elected supreme
Dontitf and took the name of Leo NH |
after the famous Pope Leo Y, for |
whom he had great veneration. He I
vas crowned an March with the tiara,
,r triple crown, the ceremony taking
place, not in st. Peters, where all his
predecessors but one had been crowned
ince 1855, but in the Sistine chapel in
he Vatican, where the conclave had
been held.
Public opinion regarded the new pope
IS characterized above all things by a
owe of peace, and it was expected that
departing from that mon possumus"
policy of his predecessor, he would
peedily conclude a compromise with
he Italian government and thus put
n end to the antagonism between the
Tatican and the Quirinal But the
1orld was soon undeceived, and in his
Irst encyclical, promulgated at the
Caster following his accession, Pope
.eo XIII unhesitatingly maintained
is demand for the restoration of the
power of the papacy, nor did
e ever recede from the position then
aiken up, although the policy of the
uria showed more moderation.
The first great political achievement I
I the Pope was the settlement of the :
differences with Germany which had
wen rise to the famous Kulturkampf. {
The rapid spread of anarchistic doc :
zines in Germany and the attempts
Jade upon the emperor's life in 1878 ,
aduced Prince Bismarck to make ap-
reaches TO the ultramontane party to
ecure their support for his economic
olicy> HsT rEalk, the famous author :
Ii E May }a*s,o was removed from Of 4
&c and other concessions were made
!, the Catholics 19 Finally. diplomatic
stations with the Vatican were re-
lmed and the late Emperor Frederick
aen crown prince signalized the res
'ration of harmonious understand
49, hS VISITING aEe Bwot ttpe. Vati-