The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1906-07-21
Pope and Emperor.

In the celebrated interview between
Pope Plus VII. and the Emperor Ma
poleon, when the former was a prisoner
at I'ontainebleau. the Pope sought to
saying:
Emperor, take care! The God OF
old still lives. When your measure
is full He will break it To pieces"
Twelve years later the captive Eagle
sat chained to the rock of his en-
forced solitude on the island of ST.
Helena.
Young man." he said, one day to-
Il youth who. as Il little page. had
view do you remember those words
nf Plus NII.,--hs terrible prediction?'
Yes, sire The God of old still
lives he said He will crush you to
pieces"
The Pope WAS no false prophet.
My Sreptre has been broken, not by
| man. but by God.
There were other circumstances re-
lHting to Plus VII. over which MAJ
poleon must often have wondered dur
ing the years of his captivity at 81.
| Helena. Las Gases relates that the
fallen emperor never pronounced the
| Pontitf's name without emotion, call
ing him ~ lamb" ON account of the
meekness with which he bore the trials
of his pontiicate. The Pope returned
tn Rome on the oath of May, 1914. hav-
| ing been imprisoned ut l'ontainebeau
| for five wears. For the same length
of time his prosecutor had to endure
the Suffrrings and humilationS of cap
tivity. The coincidence-but it was
pointed out by Dom Gucranger re-
c"rdng the conuuests of our Lady OF
| Help. 1T was not the Allied Powers
who had made common cause against
| his oppressor. that broke the POntiff $
I letters: the very tyrant who kept hin,
from Rome. had given him permission
To return at the close of the preceding
year: but the Pontiff chose his own
time, and did not leave l'ontaincbleau
City of Peter had been reduced to Il
head town of a French Department
with Il Project for it's administrator;
and. with II view to making men forget
that it was the City of the Wears OF
IA messenger from the island of ST
Helena was one day ushcred into tho
presence of Plus VII. The exled Ma
po!con. whom he had cnnsccrated En-.
and whose after conduct brought hin
under the ban of accommodation
NOW hcsuught the Pontiff the true anc
only King of Rome tn allow him to be
rc-n,lmlttcd to those spiritual bless
ings of which he had been justly de,
prived.
"pius VII. who had 50 courageous
ly bravcd public opinion by givin.
hospitality. at Rome. to the member:
of the unfortunate Napoleon family
readily complied with the request thu
made of him; and the Holy Sacrifice
of the Mass was. shortly aftcrward
offered up in the presence OF the Illus
triuus exile of St. Helena.
''Hut. before granting pardon. tn
justice of God had required Il full am
public cxpiation. He. who had bee
lions of souls. by restoring religion t
France was not to be lost: but Il
had impiously imprisoned the Sover
eign Pontiff in the castle of l'ontaine
blcau. and it was in that very castl
that he had afterward to sign tn
deed of his own abdicatiOn. For tiv
years lie had held captive the Vica
. of Christ. for five years lie himse
had to endure the sutferings and hu
| uilIlitlIoH VI SdptNltA. ledNeii dS
ceptcd the retribution. and left Mar
to complete her victory. Reconcile
with the Church. and fortified by tn
Holy Sacraments which prepare III
Christian for eternity. Napoleon yield
ed up his soul into the hands of h
Maker, on the 5th of May-the mont
" that is sacred to Mary."-Ave Maria.