The Irish standard., 1908-07-11


The "permeso" (permission)' which
has been obtained after So much effort
is in Italian. partly printed partly
written. 1t states that His Holiness
will be pleased to receive in audtenc.
at such and such a day and hour. At
the bottom of the page are instruc.
! tions as to the dress to be worn. Gen.
tlemen are to appear in black CLOTH
ing. with white cravats. Ladies are
to wear black, with black wells. Mon
sisnori and priests are required to wear
the garb usual to their ecclesiasti ,al
rank. Significant is the warning that
under no circumstances will visitors
be allowed to present photographs IT,
His Holiness for signature. Inquiry
brings the information that the ladies
are to arrange the wells as headdress
and not to cover the face, and that
they are to appear gloveless. Souvenir
shops in the vicinity Of the Vatican
display signs announcing that appro-
pirate wells may be purchased or hired.
The time for the audience having ar.
rived. visitors who come to the Vatican
on foot must again pass the barrier rf
the Swiss Guards and once more as.
cend the long stairway This time,
though. they are directed to cross an
immense paved court. in which are
many carriages that have entered tn.
grounds through a gate at an eleva-
ton somewhere In the rear Across
the court and up another magnificent
flight of marble steps is the audience
chamber, to which scores are now
vending their way. In the ante-ro om
are several footmen. splendidly liver.
led In red, who take up the "permesi''
and direct the visitors to remove hats
and wraps. which are placed llaphaz-
ard on chairs and tables
Every one seems to have followed
closely the directions as to apparel.
The men, without exception. are in
evening dress (although it is near
midday, with black waistcoats and
white eravats. True to the traditions
of their sex, the women are busy ar
ranging their wells in order that they
| shall appear to the best advantage
Arf t11N
ber. AS little time remains, the foot
men here and there urge the dilatory
ones to hurry.
The chamber itself is Of generous
proportions and is decorated in. a man.
ner betting the use to which it is .,e-
voted. 1t is hung in the same figured
red silk as was noticed in Monsignor
Bisleti's apartments, and rich paint
ings are on the walls. At the end of
the room nearest the entrance is the
Papal throne. set on low platform,
but the Pope only occupies 1t at pri Z.
vate audiences.
Quickly the seats around the sides
are filled. and late comers manage to
squeeze into corners. Perhaps one
hundred and fifty persons are in the
room, when a group Of nuns appears,
and they find places in the space be-
tween the throne and the doorway.
BY the time the seats are fNed there
are some furtive whisperings. which
cease abruptly when the footmen ar-
pear at the entrance. One Of them
raises his hand and every one rises
Then enter three Cardinals in their
scarlet robes and after them comes the
Holy Farther. He wears a white cas-
sock with a silken girdle. and on his
head is skull cap of the same ma
terial as the cassock. Beneath the car
is a fringe Of silvery hair.
Piux X carries himself with a dig
nifty that is worthy of his high Office
His face full and strong wears an ex-
preston of'benignity that rivets Tire
gaze Of the beholder. Unlike his ven.
Grated predecessor. Leo Kill. he |:
robust Of body, and he appears to be ii
excellent health.
Accompanying the Pontiff and The
Cardinals are several officers Of IT,,
Papal Guards. in military uniforms o
dark blue. Remarkably handsome me-,
they are.
First to receive the Holy Father
greeting are the nuns, who have com
to present a memorial or petition
They kneel, and the Pope offers t
each his hand. on the third finger Q
which is the ring Of st. Peter-a huv
square emerald. surrounded by dia
monds. After all the nuns have kisse
the ring, they rise. and for severa
minutes the spokeswoman and til
Holy Father carry on a conversation