The Washington times., 1903-07-20
ELECTED SUPREME P0NTIFF
WITHOUT CIVIL AUTHORITY
New Pope at Once Recognized Life in
the Vatican.

The election OF Cardinal Pecci to the
Papal throne was q surprise to many.
On February 20, 1873. the third ballot
of the Sacred College gave him forty
four of the sixty-two votes cast, and ne
became the 257th successor Of ST. Peter.
In personality, mental and physical the
new head OF the church presented a
marked contrast to that Of his imme-
date predecessor. In age verging close
upon threescore and ten, he yet pre-
served remarkable pigor OF mind and
body. which made him an almost ideal
figure in his exalted post as Archbishop
OF the world Mr. Thaddeus. an eminent
English artist who painted portrait Of
the Pontif soon after his succession,
says OF him:
Pope Leo XIII is Of medium height
His attenuated figure is bent by study
and the weight of years. but In every
movement he is astonishingly quick and
energetic His head is a most remark
able one. once seen never to be forgot
ten, with it's every feature out Of strict
proportion. yet with the harmony Of the
whole The Small. bright, rapid eyes,
set close together, denote the man who
is ever on the search the largely de-
veloped aqui1ine nose, a capacity for
domination The mouth, when under &
pleasing influence. forms into an exceed
ingly wide sweet smile. its benevolent
expression Frightening the whole face
and supplying the benignity which is
less observable in the eyes. The ears.
like the hands and feet, are exceptional
ly large and long. The skin is so thin
rare thing with Italians, and much
admired by them as a sign OF high
breeding-that perfect network Of blue
veins is visible over all the white. as
celtic face. His Holiness is gifted with
the fire and impulse of youth without
its accompanying physical strength, and
feels keenly the disabilities Of age
When he saw my portrait for the last
time he thOughtfully remarked its look
of years, and advised me to remember
when painting another Pope that 'Popes
are of no age
Leo became the first Supreme Pontiff
OF modern times whose whole reign was
bare of political authority Not only
was he without temporal power in :he
Eternal City. but he was, IN a sense, a
prisoner during all the days OF his Pom
tificate in the Vatican. On the death Of
Plus TX he had. in his capacity as
Camerlengo, ordered the Papal carriages
&c be got ready in case the new Pope
should choose to go to the Lateran TO
take possession of the Episcopal See
Being himself the new Pope he did not
choose to use them. Plus VII and Leo
Mi were the only PoPea who have not
been crowned in the lOCgia OF St Peters
since 1905. The coronation of Leo XIII
took place in bis own Sistlne Chapel ON
March 8, 1873, in the presence only OF
The dignitarics OF the Church.
Great changes were at once made by
tne new Pope In the domestic life or the
Vatican. lie brought the routine OF the
POntlfcal household into harmony with
his own simplicity Of living. Plus X
was the same abstemious liver. but he
vas toe lenient to abolish the long line
OF sinecures which existed under him.
Leo. free from personalities. reduced
the life Of the Vatican to a plane OF
simplicity and unostentation which was
quito in contrast with what II had been.
He entered upon a regular routine which
he maintained with slight variation
throughout his Pontidcate