The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1903-07-23
LIFE OF LEO xiii.
Que Of Devotion to Cause
of Catholicism
HE Was 4 PRECOCIoUS YOUTH
Some Notable Achievements in the
Papacy. Interest in
Social Questions.
HH Was 4 PRECOCIoUS YOUTH

HIS late nOi1neSS was UOTU dL Cdl
tsaineto, in the diocese Of Anagni in tn
-apal states, on March 2, 1910, being
-,csr1stened under the name of Joachim
Vincent. The society of Jesus. which
WIS afterwards the first care OF hi
4gqltificate to restore to Its ancient pc
s5tion in the councils Of the church
rEas entrusted with his education
-vamg Peoci being sent at the age O
3 years to the Jesuit college at V1ber'
30. where he remained until his l4tf
yt.ar At this time his mother died
AND he shortly afterwards proceeded
TO Rome to continue his studies at the
Jesuit college in that city. When DC
WAS IS years old he secured first prize
For chemistry and physics. His apt1
tuae for natural science, however, In
no way intarfered with his taste fol
literature and classical studies, and
even in those early days he was re-
rna~kable for the elegance and purity
Of his Latin, which subsequently found
sprh notable expression, not only in
ais encyclicals and ecclesiastical work
agt IN the higher plane of poetry. He
Obtained in 1881, a degree Of doctor of
Noble EcclesiastiCs to study law and
3fIBomacy, and thus qualify himself
for Joining what may be termed the
rmpal diplomatic service.
Made a Domestic Prelate.
In 1887 Joachim Pecci received the
EubdiacOnate and diaconate, and on
March IA of the same year Gregory
XVI. made him domestic prelate. his
first promotion, with the title of mon
.sign0r On December %, 1887, he was
ordained priest by Cardinal Odescal-
ri, saying his first mass in the chapel
II St. Stanislaus at the Jesuit noviate
II St Andrea
Early in 1889, Monsignor Pecci was
named governor of the papal province
# BfeventO. and, like SiXtus ". bus
sea himself with the suppression Of
E17I gandage.
The young ecclesiastic in 1913 was
called to exercise his talents in
nuTe important post, being conse-
rated bishop Of Damietta in partibus,
sSli sent to Brussels as papal nunciO.
M@nsignOr Pecci remained over three
Years in Belgium and on mis- recall to
&ta}y was decorated with the grand
FcorIlOn Of the Order Of Leopold.
After leaving Brussels Pecci visited
IDndOn. This was in February. 1916,
ard in the same year he was cOnse-
Grated archbishop Of Perugia. He con-
Einued in this position for 30 years
which interviewed before his election
10 ,he highest position in the church,
his tenure of the epiScOpate cOinciding
exactly with the 80 years Of the reign
ST Plus TX.
IN 1850 MOnsignor Pecci was ele-
EaJed to the dignitary Of a cardinal
priest. At the consistory held in 1877
Cardinal Pecci was appointed Gamer
1ing0 Of the Roman church, which
gave him chief charge of the temper
,alitles Of the holy see. In this capaC-
;ty it fell to his task to make the nee
,asSary arrangements for the cOnclave
%or the election of the new pope, on
gfip death of Plus X. in February
1878.
Elected Supreme Pontiff.
The conclave lasted SO hours. and
At rhethird ballot Cardinal Pecci was
elected supreme pOntif and took the
name Of Leo XIII. after the famous
Pope Leo XII, for whom he had great
generation He was crowned on
March 3. with the tiara or triple
crown. the ceremony taking place not
n St. Peters. where all his predeces-
Sors hut one had been crowned since
1888. but in the Sistine chapel in the
yfstican. where the cOnclaye had been
.1Eid.
From the very outset. the new pom
rff displayed the greatest interest in
Ehe social questions agitating the
world OF today.
AT the beginning of Pope Leo's
reign, the Identification of the clergy
with the royalist movement which
gave rise to Gambettas famous re
mark. NE clericalism. viola Ttnnui,' y
had caused antagOnism to all that saw
Dred Of religion which at one time bid
fair TO lead to the early separation of
church and state in France. Alive to
the danger of the situation, the pope
sought to cOnciliate the republic by
acknowledging it as the established
segal form OF government and. in 1891
Che late Cardinal LavigeTie gave ex-
preston to his holiness views on this
subject to the great surprise of the
Catholic press and the perturbation of
not g few members of the French
spiscopate While thus engaged in
political negotiations with various
countries, requiring the greatest ad-
dress and deXterity the late pope
paid special attention to the actual
work of propagating the Catholic
faith, and no pontifical reign since the
reform has witnessed such a recru-
descence Of Catholicism or such an
extension Of the spiritual dominion OF
The Catholic chuch, especially in Eng
Ish speaking countries.
The twenty-fOurth anniversary OF
Pope LeOs coronation was held at the
vatican July 26, 1902, by the entire
lanal court and thousands of man, horc