The Irish standard., 1907-10-19
Glimpse Of the Vatican.

Glimpse Of the Vatican.
The Vatican Palace is the largest
in the world, the most irregular and
Unlocking without, and by far the
richest in works of art within. None
is so venerable, none so famous. In
length It measures 1,150 feet, has
twenty courts, and contains upwards
Of LOO rooms, many of them vast
chambers. Yet the three rooms oc-
cupied by the Pontiff are furnished
with a simplicity which," said a ia
nous Anglican clergyman, would be
uncomfortable in the abode =: any
other sovereign prince. The furniture
is confined to the merest necessaries
Of life-strange contrast to Lambeth
and Fulham!"
What an immense family lives be-
meath its mighty roof! Prelates,
priests. lawyers, noble and Swiss
guards, copyists, chemists, painters,
| workers in mosaic, sculptors, Ponti-
fetal Gendarmes. stucco workers, gla-
Tiers. carpenters, masons. engineers,
electricians, gardeners, grooms. attend
| ants attached to the various museums,
and a small army Of common servants,
cleaners, etc. In the time Of Plus TX,
at least during his later years. we are
| told no less than 1890 persons lived
within the Vatican walls. That num-
Der was certainly reduced by Leo
Kill. and still more so by Plus X.
The present Pope, either seeing that
the income Of the Vatican would not
suffice for the maintenance of such a
vast family. or that money from it
could be better expended on poor mis-
sions. determined on a. general up
heaval of the entire establishment. One
hundred horses OF the stud Leo XIII.
had insisted upon keeping went first
Then came a reduction in the ranks
of the Noble and Swiss guards, while
the number of the Gendarmes were
increased All through the other ranks
of the household changes We're made;
the aged were pensioned off: certain
Offices. that had become almost sine
cures in the twentieth century were
allowed to die out, and at the end IL
could be said that drones who had
drawn salaries were things of the
past.
| The practical mind of Plus X. does
not believe in red taps or idle bread
His own life has been hard and siren,
nous: he believes in hard work and
Is resolved. while he lives, that those
subject to him In the Vatican shall
show, by their deeds, their belief in
lit also Plus X. rules the Vatican
with a. Arm hand" said a. prelate some
time ago. IF he scribbles an order or
a. bit Of paper, lie takes good care TIC
see that it is carried out"
The same cannot be said Of all pope.
and of very few kings.
Among the sweeping changes made
by the present Pontiff Is the BUILDING
of a large residence for the married
portion Of his great family. Since the
days of Plus TX. they had lived within
the Apostolic palace; now, however
only priests and unmarried men are
allowed TO reside in the Vatican. while
| married persoDe r,c,,,o,, h,,ta,,.
side. the palace. but within the little
territory left to the Pope.
Work. prayer and physical exercise
fill the days af the tenth Plus. Frugal
IN every way there is nothing of which
His Holiness Is so careful as time. A
great part of his time is necessaril,
devoted to giving audiences-one O,
the most difficult OF his duties--publtc
and private, to pilgrims and visitors
from every part Of the world, of every
grade In life, Of every race and color:
for 1.-THE Pope" as Plus X said, on one
occasion, to a Protestant. who mag
ined His Holiness treated him with Al
much kindness, thinking him to BE- a
Catholic. els the common Father of aIl'
Emperor king and prince. cardinal
bishop. priest, lawyer, doctor, Journal
LIST, merchant are to be seen some time
or other before the chair Of the Old
Man Of the Vatican. All are capti-
waited by the sweet, plain face, So
strong and passive a face that would
be decidedly common were IT not for
the wonderful expression of benevo-
lence that charms all who see it.