The daily morning journal and courier., 1903-03-28
THE POPE'S JUBILEE.
4 DESCRIPTION OF THE IMPoS-
 ING OCCASION
By a Prominent New Havener Who Witnessed tse Scene of Grandeur and MaEnIticence.

Witnessed the Scene of Grandeur and
 MagnIficence.
 Rome. Tuesday, March 8, 19O3.-For the Pope's jubilee, in honor of the twenty-fifth anniversary of his corona tion, great preparations were made, and the whole Catholic world had been looking forward to the day, while prayers in every language were offered that his Venerable Holiness might be spared and the church celebrate an event that never but once before has occurred in the history of the Papal church-a reign of twenty-five years-a fact sufficient to account for the extent and grandeur of the occasion.
 Rome is filled with strangers, special trains from all parts of the eastern hemisphere arriving with pilgrims, priests and tourists.
 At five o'clock in the morning the city is astir. Those unable to find shelter have slept on the plaza of St. Peters. By daybreak carriages of eve ny description are rushing madly in ev- cry direction, although the ceremony does not begin until eleven o'clock.
 By eight o'clock carriages are blocked a mile, from every entrance to St. Pe- ter's. On the left one row only is al- lowed, moving in slow procession, on the right one row returning, while car boniers at every twenty-five paces reg ulate the procession with perfect pre- cision. Fifty thousand tickets have been issued of different colors, indica- ting the entrance and location. Six thousand only, for seats which were in great demand and most difficult to ob- tain, being intended for diplomats, Ro- man nobility, potentates, monsignors, officials, etc. Favorably located in the section with the family of the American ambassador, close by the statue of St. Peter, which was draped for the occa- sion in the most costly robes, embroi- dered and studded with most valuable jewels and precious stones, that have over a period of years been contribu- ted by worshipers to this statue of the original pope. Around and under the dome are located and classified accord ing to rank, in the reserved sections, galleries and tribunes, ambassadors, di- plomats and officials in brilliant uni forms, women all without hats, lace scarf fastened with jewels on their heads. The main aisle from the Vati- can door to the throne is lined on each side by Palatine guard, each in uni form as gorgeous as that of brigadier general, while their commanders with medals and decorations strung from shoulder to shoulder pass up and down the line at intervals. Aides -de-camp hurry from point to point. The re- served section is in charge of the No bel guards, in the uniform of King Henry VIII, These men are selected exclusively from the nobility, a great honor conferred only upon those of the highest rank, and conspicuous for their loyalty to the Pope, and they serve only on occasions of great ceremony. The commander, Prince Rospigliosi, is mas ter of ceremonies to the Vatican. By his courtesy our places were secured. Neither the king, although a Catholic, nor any representative of the govern ment, nor any of the Roman nobility belonging to the kings party, known as
 
 Blacks or the Pope's party, who ac- knowledge the Pope only as king. Upon the occasion of any ceremony, public or private, the Blacks never off, cially invite the Whites, and vice versa, at the court balls of the king, the Blacks are not eligible.
 But the hour is coming for the en- trance of the Pope. Every available space is filled, the final details are com pleted, two hundred and fifty priests in white robes march down the aisle to- wards the entrance to the Vatican to meet the Pope, who for twenty-five years has never been outside the walls of the Vatican and St. Peters. The sill yer trumpets in the dome announce the arrival of the procession. First the carbiniers Of the Pope, then the Nobel guards, then the Swiss guards, his pri- vate body guard, Swiss soldiers in red, with steel armour and helmets and red plumes, all six feet high and carrying spears, the uniform never before worn since 1870, when the Pope was driven out of the Quirinal Palace by Victor Emanuel. Priests from all countries follow, then come the cardinals in red and ermine, their trains being carried by the leaders of various orders from all parts of the world. Among these is the next Pope. Upon the death of a Pope the cardinals go in convention with their cooks and every provision for living for days in the Vatican, the doors of which are never opened, no one en- tering or returning until the successor, or the new Pope, is chosen from among them.
 The Pope in his sedan chair, beauti- fully embroidered in gold and colors. the finest and most magnificent known to have ever been exhibited, borne on the shoulders of men trained to step with precision and in unison, with os- trich plumes, high above and around him, is carried up the central aisle above the heads of all the people, amid cheers and shouts of Long live the Pope King" The Pope in magnificent array, pale! saintly looking, almost like a delicate miniature painting on ivory, seated on a moving throne, his right hand raised, looking right and left, blesses all the people and all objects held up to receive his Holiness Papal blessing, as he passes the statue of St. Peter. When passing the statue-a point where could almost touch his chair-he rises from his seat and gives special ceremony and blessings.