Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1903-07-20

: ceved the names Vincent and Joachim
When eight years old he was sent
with his oldest brother, Joseph, to tn
college of the Jesuits at Viterbo. i
was there that he made his first com
munion on the feast of st. Aloysius
June 81, 1921. After the death of hi
mother in 1924, he went to Rome ant
there lived with an uncle, continuing
his studies at the Roman College. A
that institution he studied rhetoric
philosophy, mathematics and theology
He then went to the Academy of No
BILE Ecclesiastics to take up law ant
markable record that Gregory XVI or
March Ia, 1887, appointed him prelate Of
the household and Referendary of the
Signature, although Mgr. Pecci was
then but 26 years old. In the begin.
ming of-1S37 he was ordained subdeacor
and deacon by Cardinal Charles Odes-
chalchi in the chapel of st. Stanislaus
On December % of the same year he
was ordained priest by the same cardi.
nal in the same chapel and said his
first mass assisted by his brother, Jo-
seph Pecci, Who was at the time a
member of the Society of Jesus.
| This was the beginning of his career.
On February Is, 1888, he was appoint
ed delegate in the province of Bene-
vento which was infested with brig
| ands. For IA months he waged a re-
lentless warfare on them and at the
end Of that time had restored law and
order in the province. His success in
suppressing lawlessness was SO great
that after three years, orders were is
sued for him to go to Spoleto as dele
gate. These orders We're dated June II,
IAS4l,sbnt five days later they were
changed and he was sent to Perugia, a
more important appointment and one
which presented greater difficulties. His
success was as great as it had been in
other places. Four prisons were filled
with criminals when he arrived at
Perugia and in four months they were
empty; he confiscated all the bread one
day when the bakers were selling short
weight, and had it distributed to the
poor. BY following such plans, one
lesson was enough. After year and
a half at Perugia, he was appointed
by Gregory XVI, on January 27, 1S43,
archbishop Of Damietta, although he
was but 80 years old at the time. On
February 10, 1S43, he was consecrated
in the Church of st. Lawrence and was
appointed apostolic nuncio to the court
of King Leopold at Brussels, post
he started for the same day. He re-
mained there for three years and was
esteemed so highly that the King
made him Grand Cross Of the Order Of
Leopold on May 5, 1886. The severity
of the climate caused him to give up
his post and for short time he visit
ed various countries. When Bishop
Pecci arrived at Rome, Gregory XVI
was dead. He had named the Bishop
cardinal but died before publicly pro-
claiming It so the elevation to that
dignity was delayed. He was appoint
ed bishop Of Perugia on January TO-
1846, and returned to the scene of his
former labors as spiritual head Of the
diocese of which he had formerly been
civil governor. His elevation as car
dinal OF the Order of Priests with the
title of st. Crysogono took place Dec.
10, 1865 and was by Plus TX. In
the Consistory of September q, 1877,
Cardinal Pecci was called to Rome by
the Pope as Camerlengo, the officer
who has the principal authority during
the interval between the death Of a.
pope and the election Of a successor.
This compelled him to reside in Rome.
When Plus TX died, in February T..
1873, Cardinal Pecci performed the du-l
ties Of his office. When the cardinals
met to elect a successor for Plus TX,
Cardinal Pecci received % votes on the
first ballot. The one receiving the next
highest number had II and the next
four. On the second ballot, Cardinal
Pecci received So out Of 81 cast, not.
the required two-thirds; and on the
third and last ballot, he received A and
was elected. He was crowned in the
Sistine Chapel, March 3, 1873. with all
pomp and ceremony.