Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1905-03-09
POPES OF LOWLY ORIGIN.
Number of the Most Eminent Had
Poor Parents-One Ethiopian,
Three Jewish.

-
Many Of the popes have sprung from
low origin Alexander V. Q40O) was a
beggar boy. Benedict XII. was the
son of baker; Sixtus w. Q47D was
the son of a fisherman, Sixtus V.
(15S5), whose name was Felix Per-
retti, was a pig driver at Montalto, and
attracted the attention of Franciscan
monk, who educated him, says Lon
don paper He rose to be bishop Of
Fermo, soon after to be cardinal, and
was then elevated to the papal throne
and celebrated his reign by erecting
some of the finest buildings in Rome.
| Nathaniel Hawthorne, writing of his
tomb in the grand old church of st.
Maria Magoire, says: III anything
can still the spectator to silence and
awaken him to great recollections, 1t
is the monument of this astonishing
man who as child herded swine, and
as man commanded kings, and filled
Rome with so many works that from
every side his name like an echo, rings
upon the travellers ears"
Urban w. (126D was the son Of a
French cobbler, Adrian vi. was the son
of a weaver, Benedict XI. was the son
OF a shepherd, Boniface the Great was
a street gamin and held horses for |
pennies. In recollection of his earlier |
days he invited two kings to lead his |
mule when he rode to his coronation
as pope of Rome. Hildebrand, the
great orator monk, who became Pope !
Gregory VII. 0703) was the sOn of
carpenter from Tuscany and one of the
most brilliant statesmen Of his age.
He practically revolutionized Europe.
There is a tradition that ore of the /
popes, Victor l., who reigned in 1913,
wasa acolOred man, an EthiopiOn. Three
Of the popns were Jews-St. Peter. St.
Clement and Theodorus l., who regned
in 642. Clement was a fellow laborer
with St. Paul and was mentioned by
him in the third verse Of the fourth
chapter of the epistle to the Philip
plans. He was the fourth pope and
suffered martyrdom in the year 100.
Theodorus was descended from a
famous Jewish scholar, who removed
to Rome during the occupation of Judea
by the Romans and held a high posi-
ton.
Several of the popes were laymen,
and the election to the pontiticate has
several times been declined. Martin
Nv. was layman and at one time
mayor OF Rome. Clement Nv. was a
lawyer and was secretary to St. Louis
of France. Innocent VIII. was married
and the father of a large family. He
did not take orders until after the
death Of his wife, Adrian IL. was
elected three times and declined twice.
He was rs years old when he was
elected the third time and died at 81.
He was married man and q cardinal
deacon. Persons holding that ecclesi-
astical rank are not pledged to vows of
celibacy. He separated from his wife
after his election as pope. however.
but she and his daughters lived In
Rome during his pontidcate and saw
him frequently.
1t has long been cause of con-
troversy among physicians as to whet TIL
er consumption is contagious or not,
and one of the strongest arguments,
says the New York Journal that it is
that has yet been produced is the story
OF the fate of the villagers of Mentone
Forty years ago this place was one of
the healthiest villages in France, whose
INHABITANTS were of superb physical de-
velopment. 1t was discovered about
this time that the climate of Mentone
was remarkably beneficial in cases of
lung diseases. and people afflicted ip
this way t1ocked thither from all parts T.
If Europe. The natural result was
hat the people who had hitherto been
Engaged in farming one and all betook
themselves to ministering in various
Ways to the throngs of invalids. The
trong and healthy women of Mentone q
became laundresses and washed, with r
'ut taking the least precautions, the =
clothes. The place is kj
low described as being "bacillus pest 4
ole." The very oil and air are said to g