The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1903-07-22
SKETCH OF PopE's LIFE
CONTINUED From Page ~

lOOQ.
The pope himself, Plus VII, had been
taken captive from Rome to France
ana was only returned to Rome at the
fall Of Napoleon in 1914 He restored
the Jesuits, who were the secular school
masters within the church. but they
had fallen under the hostility of several
OF the kings and been for some time
suppressed. Upon their return they
opened schools and gave the city of
Rome something OF it's old clerical and
literary character
In 1917 the late pope's mother took
her sons to Rome and the next year
put them at school at Eiterbo. city on
a hill but Il few hours carriage ride
from Rome. This lady belonged to one
Of the orders of the Franciscans and
When she died was buried in their
brown cloak and cord Her death was
nearly at the same time with that of
Plus VII.
The next pope, Leo NIL, branched
out as an educator The Jesuits' college,
was opened in Rome in 1924 with !, 400
students, and among these We're the
two Pecci' boys, of whom Joseph was q
Jesuit. He was three years older than
his brother These boys went home to
their mountain town on holidays, and
the pope was an active hunter and
fowler in the mountains. Rome was to
them like any American city to fami-
ly V !lich lived in the neighboring coun-
try and spent the winters in the city.
The name of the pope was Joachim
Vincent Raphael Lodovico Pecci He
always went by the name of Vincent
Pecci until s. certain period after his
mothers death, when he became gen
orally known as Joachim Peccl
EIe became fluent in the Latin and
wrote verses and orations in it and
gained prizes. After his mothers death
he lived with his uncle in the Mutt
palace in Rome. He somewhat knew
Pope Leo MI. and chose his papal
name with reference to that prelate.
He matriculated in 1880, graduated
doctor of theology in 1882, which was
the time that he adopted the name of
Joachim, and he entered the diplomatic
class in the university called Sapienza,
or Wisdom, in Rome Among his
friends and classmates were such no
Dles as Duke Sforza of the old Milan
lords
He was acquainted with Leo, as we'll
as with Plus VIII. who lived but a
short time, and then came Gregory
XVI, in whose household he was one
of the prelates.
He first attracted special attention
during the cholera in Rome in 1887.
when he was twenty-seven years old.
He had nerve in an unusual degree.
and his intrepid services among the
cholera stricken people marked him
among the more timid ecclesiastics as
man who could be of use to them in
the dangerous condition Of the country.
Made full priest in the Church of
st. Stanisaus, in Rome, Joachim Pecci
was made at the age of twenty eight
governor of Benevento. small state in
Naples about seven miles square and
only a days journey from that city. |
Benevento had given the title of Prince
of Benevento to Talleyrand the cele-
brated French diplomatist. who in his
early life had been Catholic bishop.
The little state was full of reaction
airy guerrillas and brigands. The young
ruler went there under the general ex-
pectation that he would be the victim
of violence. Fortunately for MIN, he
was almost Immediately taken i'll with
the typhoid fever, and his death was
supposed to be certain. This calamity
softene1 fhe nature of the people, and
they began to talk about this intellectr-
al young priest who had exposed his
life in Rome to the pestilence Instead
of antagonizing him they formed pro
cessions and went to public prayers in
his behalf, and when he recovered II
was looked upon as in the nature Of
miracle
They were mistaken, however, as to
his worldly force.
There lived in mountain fastness in
the state a celebrated brigand named
PasQuale Colletta, who had band of
fourteen murderers, and they had COM
mitted every species Of offense. The
priest governor laid his plans we'll and
one day the people were surprised to
see come into the town, manacled and
under guard, the chief of the band and
every one Of his myrmidons In spite
of their threats, promises and penitence
they were executed.
Pecci now turned his attention to the
lawless mobiles who had countenanced
such trespasses, and when one of these
undertook to browbeat him and threat
ened to go to Rome and have him re-
called the governor said. Marquis, be-
fore you get to the Vatican you shall
pass through the castle of st. Angelo"
This was tho state prison at Rome. and
Its name was ominous.
A feeling grew that this young man
had special powers with the pope. Evil
doors FASTENED to get out of his terrific.
ny or make their peace.
He searched the lawless castles, be-
gan to build good roads, examined and
lowered the taxes, made the collec-
ton of the revenue effective, and thus
spent nearly three years making an or
derby state out Of most disorderly