The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-02-19
For First Time in 800 Years Not
on List of Lay Dignitaries
of the PapaCy.
DY Ia MARaUIsE die EoNTENoY.

by Ia MARQUISE DE EONTENOY.
r OR the first time in 800 years the
historic name OF Colonna is miss
ing from the list of principal lay
| dignitaries of the Papacy. as enumer
atcd in the Annuario Pontiiicio. or
Gcrarchia. for 1913 just Issued by the
/ Vatican and which is nothing more
nor less than the official annual of the
Roman Catholic Church.
Vixen the late Marc Antonio twelfth
Prince OF Colonna. twelfth Duke of Pa
liano and of Marino, etc, died last year
without male issue the hereditary Of
flee OF prince assistant OF the pontifi-
| cal throne should have gone, along
with all his other dignities and honors
TO his brother and successor, Don Fab
rizio Colonna, married to Dona OHM
pia Doria. But Don Fabrizio is SEN
ator OF the kingdom OF Italy and a
general of Italian cavalry, and so
thoroughly Identified with the court
of tho Quirinal and with the italian
government that he declined to sacri-
flee them for the sake of the high office
awaiting him at the Vatican. This be-
Ing the case, he was relieved Of the
dignity of prince assistant of the pom
tifcal throne, as OF course it was out
OF the question for him TO hold II in
conjunction with a seat in the italian
Senate and a commission in the Italian
cavalry.
AS Prince Philip Orsini, the other
prince assistant OF the pontitical throne,
was years ago overtaken by ruin and
disaster and deprived by the Italian
courts OF the control Of his property
as a spcndthrift, at the instance Of his
family and has in consequence been
unable To fulfil his duties at the
court of the Vatican. the Pope is now
on state occasions deprived of tho sup
port OF ono of the most picturesque
features OF his encourage For during
the lifetime of the late Don Marc An
tonic Colonna. he presented very i'm
preSsive appearance at every ceremony
in which the PontiT appeared, stand
ing Immediately TO the right of the
Holy Father. on tho dais beside the
throne, arrayed In a sixteenth century
costume of black silk, with slashcd
doublet and hose. black silk stockings
silver bucltied shoes, lace ruff and col
lar and lace sleeves, napier with steel
hilt. etc.
The Office of "Stator proximus n
solo Pontihcis MaXimi' dates back to
the reign of SiXtus ", and was con-
fcrred by that Pontif upon the chiefs
of the two houses of Colonna and OF
Orsini of the day, with the object OF
putting an end to the wars which had
until that time been carried on for
hundreds of years by these two rival
families against one anGther. From
the eleventh to the sixteenth century
the lights between the Colonnas and the
Orsinis constantly caused blood to
now in the streets OF Rome. At length
when an Orsini and n Colonna had so
far forgotten the respect due to the
imperious and masterful Pope Sixtns
V as to draw their swords upon one
another when in his presence. he, with
the object OF parting them, ordered
the one to take up his position on the
right OF the rapal throne and the other
on the left, and subsequently. on the
express understanding that peace be-
tween the two families should thence
forth be maintained, he converted into
hereditary dfgnities these positions to
the right and left OF the throne. the
Orsinis and the colonnas taking it In
turns to have the place on the right
They also took It in turns prior to
1870. when the Popes were still accus-
toned TO drive about Rome, to precedc
or horseback the pontiflcal equipage.
it was the prince assistant who held
the stirrup for His Holiness to mount
| and who led the horse.
The Colonna family, which has fur
nished at least half a. dozen Popes to
the Catholic Church. including Marcel.
who reigned In a04. and Martin ". who
occupied the chair of st. Peter in 1417.
owes, according to tradition its namo
to the possession of what Is alleged
to be portion of the column to which
Christ was tied when scourged on the
eve OF Ills crucifiXion, and which is
still preserved as q sacred heirloom,