The Washington herald., 1908-09-06
GAMES At VATICAN
Athletic Meet VIII Be Held
Before Pope Plus.
STARS OF AL NATIONS ENTER
International Field ana Track
Tournament VIII Be Feature OF
Golden Jubilee Celebration OF
Pontin7s Ordination to the Priest
heod-Amerieans Ofer Trophy.
B, RupoLPH oE ~.

By RUDOLPH DE ZAPP.
For the first tiae in the history Of the
Roman Catholic Church athletic sports
viii form one Of TIE main features Of the
golden jubilee celebration o. a PonGhs
ordination TO The priesthood Pope Plus
X who this month viii have been a
priest fifty years. always has been great
adnirer Of athletes and a.hlstcs. and on
many occasions has expressed = Eish -
see the performances Of some or the atA-
Ietes who are al present prominent n
the world Of sport II IS in accordance
with this desire that a COMMITTEES has
been appointed TO draft a programme Of
athletic events for The jubilee, II which
all the amateur athletes Of the world
are invited 70 take part
OF course the athletes OF all Catholic
countries VIII be there In fgu force. The
Gaelic Society OF this country has seen
10 IL that the New World is represented
BY Sheridan, Flanagan. and other head
liners. while the same body in Ireland
has made preparations for the sending OF
the strongest and best company of track
and weight men the Old sod has ever
produced Many Of those who formed
the American team al the Olympic
games IN England viii make the trip
The Catholic clergy and societies Of every
country are interested in the project and
are giving their best support 70 the
movement
The games viii not be as pretentious
or SO varied as those at Shepherds Bush
Stadium in England, as the political re-
lations existing between the VATICAN and
I the government Of Italy prevent any CO
I operation between the civil and clerical
Authorities IL the city OF Rome. Never
theiess the men who take part IN them
VIII make them worldwide II irpor-
tance-
On Historic Ground.
The sports vii be held ir the Vatican
| gardens and VIII be the first athletic
! competitions to disturb their quietness
since the destruction OF the CaEgulan cir
Gus il the declining days OF the Roman
/ empire The gardens include more than
/ 10 acres and occupy. with the vatican
| and St Peters Cathedral one Of the
/ seven hills OF Rome
No other SPOT on earth has as interest
ing a history 70 the Caucasian as this
field Every time the shot leaves the ath-
| letes hand IL VIII aIight on the spot whers
=
I the circus Scipio Africanus found grave
there. and the cinder path which has
| been installed passes directly over the
place where his tomb rested until its re-
moval 10 make room for the circus OF the
! third Roman emperor. The Vatican hiu
was the last OF the fourteen districts into
which Augustus divided the city. and
I later the gardens OF Agrippina and Do-ni-
tan were situated there. near 20 the cir
Gus of CaligUla- However. as the power
I Of the empire wsned, the outlying dis
tricts OF the Vatican slope became de-
serted and for many years after the
I reign q Constantine was considered an
abode OF evil spirits This state Of affairs
/ lasted until SIS. when Leo " fortified the
hin and constructed the LeOuine city
For 2 number Of years the fields were
used as tiIting grounds. but toward the
! end Of the fifteenth century were acquired
By SiXtus " and became the gardens OF
the Vatican palace. situated al the sun
NIT OF the mount Pope S.xtus had them
laid out under his own supervision and
his successors have made but little
( change ii them They have been enlarged
some from tine 70 time. and in Is45 the
grounds Of the hospital Of san Spiri1e an
institution dating from before the tine
q the original Leonine walls. were IL
cluded- Pope Plus IE built the walls
which now surround the only territory be-
longing 10 the popes. and in which the
pspal athletic contest viii take place
The athletic field has been constructed
in what was formerly a large flower field
but which during the reign Of the late
I Pope Leo was allowed 10 run Wild To
the right OF this large open space OF If
teen acres is a large wood and on TIE
left the grounds slope down 10 the Tiber.
The field itself is quite level and re-
Gui-ed no greaC amount OF work 70 put Il
n shape for the games. 4 quarter-u1ile
track has been installed and stands have
been erected TO accommodate probably
the most distinguished throng OF specta-
TOTS that ever Witnessed an athletic tour
namenL The whole college Of Cardinals
VIII be present with thousands Of arch
bishops. bishops. and clergy. besides the
5 representatives OF all the governments OF
the world The prizes 70 be given the
successful athletes VIII be in the form
Of medals Besides these his holiness in
{ tends 10 reward the winners in a spsciaI
manner. but as yet has not made public
] the nature Of the honors-
Italian Flag Allowed.
IN connection with the preparations for
: this international competition Pope Plus
Y has settled another vexed question.
s proving once again that great personages
Of an encourage are usually more royalist
than the king Since the fall OF Rome
: the Italian fag has been tabooed in the
: Vatican When the athletic games were
being organized it was decided that each
association should be headed BY IT'S flag
and march past the pontif. II was then
found that many Italian club fags were
5 merely the national colors with some spe-
cial distinctive design, and that these as
y sociations absolutely refused 10 take part
Z without their flags. They were 50 nu-
/ merOus and strong that their detection
would have meant the failure Of the
games. IN this quandary Morsignore
Bisletti. the Pope's maior-doulo. was ap-
preached. and he replied emphatically: I
viii never permit the Italian flag in the
? Vatican" Then some bold spirits
3 thought they would appeal directly 70
. Plus X. who at once said: 7 wonder at
such question being raised OF course,
they will come with their colors.
j Il was suggested that they might Be
] furied 70 make them less conspicuous.
I Not at all" exclaimed Piux Y. impa-
] tiently have them come and hold their
I ooi5rs high and proud before the other
nations Are we 70 be ashamed Of being
Italians2''
z The Pope Is much gratiied at the Amer
3 icaE participation in the games. All is in
6 readiness for the competition. The trophy