Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1903-07-11

noble ecclcsiastics to study law and
diplomacy and thus qualify himself
for Joining what may be termed the
papal diplomatic service and become
conversant with the system of the
spiritual government 1t is from the
ranks of this official body that, in
these days, a new pontiff is almost in
yariably chosen.
IN 1887 Joachim Pecci received the
sub-deaconate and deaconate, and on
March "A Of the same year Gregory
XVI. made him domestic prelate
his first promotion, with the title Of
monsignor,
Ordained Priest
On December 30. 1887 he was or
dained priest by Cardinal Odescachi,
saying his first mass in the chapel of
St. Stanislaus at the Jesuit noyiciate
of St. Andrea. Early in 1888 Mgr. Pee
ci was named governor of the papaI
province of Benevento, and, like Six
tus v, busted himself with the sup
preston of brigandage, In connection
with this work the following story
was told OF Mgr. Pccci; \ certain
marquis called one day to protest
against what he considered the inter
ference of the governor and informed
the latter that he was just starting
for Rome to procure his recall,
Have you considered the step we'll,
marquis2" asked Mgr. Pecci
Yes. monsignor" said the other,
"and am going at once
70 this the governor reioined;
"Resolutions of this kind should be
well considered at leisure. You will
do me the honor of staying here for
the present"
That same night the marquis castle
was surrounded and 2S brigands Of
whom he was patron and chief were
arrested or shot.
From Beneyento Mgr. Pecci was
transferred to the governorship of
Pcrugia, where he remained for year
and a half The young ecclesiastic,
in 1S4i, was called to exercise his tai
ents in a more important post, being
consecrated bishop of Damietta in
partibus. and sent to Brussels as
nuncio. 1t was as representative of
the vatican in the Belgian capital that
he first gained the political insight
and experience which have been one
of the prncipa characteristics of his
tenure of the pontificaI throne.
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.
Elected to Highest Position.
After leaving Brussels the nuncic
paid visit to London. This was in
February, 1916, and in the same year
he was consecrated archbishop OF
Perugia. He continued in this posi-
ton for the 81 years which inter
yened before his election to the high
est position in the church, his tenure
of the episcopate coinciding eXactli
with the 32 years of the reign of Plus
IN.
At the consistory held in 1877 Car
dinal Pecci was appointed camerlengC
of the Roman church, which gave hin
chief charge of the temporalities ot
the holy see. In this capacity it fel
to his task to make the necessary ar
rangements for the conclaye for tn,
election OF new pope after the deatl
of Plus TX, in February 1878, Tht
conclave lasted &c hours, and at thu
third ballot Cardinal Pecci was elect
ed supreme pontiT and took the nam,
of Leo MIL, after the famous Lei
X. for whom he had the greatest ven
Grafton, He was crowned on March 3
with the tiara or triple crown, th
ceremony taking place, not in ST
Peters, where all his predecessors bu
one had been crowned since 1865, bu
in the Sistine chapel in the Vatican
where the conclaye had been held.
First Great Political Achievement.
TIbHl lut NtlN bu'oN'' lhN INV l'i
tiff displayed the greatest interest i
the social questions agitating tn
world of to-day and in an encyclica
issued in December, 1873, appealed I
the intellectual forces of Catholicit
to contest the propaganda of doc
trines which his holiness describe
as subservient of social order, allud
ing especially to the socialists j
Germany and the nihilist moyemeu
in Russia, The cooperation attorde
by the pope to the various govern
ments in opposing the growing force
of social democracy paved the wa
for the settlement of disputes cXis
ing between those governments an
the vatican, both spiritual and civ
authorities being. as it We're, calle
upon to merge their differences an
make common cause against the con
, mon enemy. The first grSt polite;
achievement of the pope was the Sc
tlement of the differences with Ge
many which had given rise to the fl
I. nous kulturkampf.
The rapid spread of anarchic do