The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1917-12-15

O1hSSt 1AiebdO Oil k1pOoIOilC9 1OIdO1O
tary, with precedence over all his
brethren in that ancient and honor
able college. Like his immediate
superior (the majordomo), he has the
privilege of quartering the Pope's
arms with his own. He is the keeper
of the Fisherman's ring, and at the
Pope's death delivers it up to the
cardinal chamberlain of the Holy
Roman College, who gives him a re-
ceipt for it.
This, then is the official through
whose hands you must pass before
being admitted to the august presence
of the Holy Father.
Your Credentials.
Your application for papal audi
ence will not be entertained unless
you can produce a credential to sup
port your request. This may take the
shape of a letter of introduction from
your Bishop or parish priest, or one
from some friend to another friend
living in Rome. This letter you will
present to the person living in Rome
to, whom it is addressed and he will
at once communicate with . the
Maestro di Camera and recommend
you as a fit and proper person to be
received in audience by the Holy
Father. You may have to wait two
Or three days before the Maestro di
Camera communicates with you. A
messenger from the Vatican will call
at your hotel and consign you the card
OF invitation to an audience with his
Holiness, on which the date and the
hour are mentioned. Priests present
themselves dressed in cassock and
feriola, lay gentlemen in evening
dress, ladies in black, wearing the
mantilla, that piece Of black lace
thrown over the head and shoulders
which looks SO graceful and which
ladies in Italy and Spain think of SO
highly. May / observe en- PEASANT
that if their sisters in other countries
fully realized the difference in their
appearance when they wear the lace
mantilla and when they wear the
featherly or the flower garden, the
man-milliner who dictates to them on
their headgear from his third-story
back room in Paris would have to
live in idleness for the rest of his
life!
Lest forget it, let me warn you not
to make one small mistake into which
l have known maryland travelled
gentry, too,-to fall. To the man who
bears to your hotel your card of in
vitation fee of two lire, or forty
cents, or one and six pence, is handed
to pay his car hire. Remember this
is not a tax from the Vatican. The
man came on your business, and the
least you can do is to pay his fare.
If the hotel proprietor or any of his
employees calls it tax on your audi
ence, you may feel quite safe in
straightway declaring him guilty of
having knowingly uttered an mex
actitude of the first order. And
about the clothes which priests and
lay gentlemen wear at a Papal audi
ence, it is consoling for those who
dislike bringing much luggage (and
what traveller ever. liked to do SOP
that cassocks, evening suits, etc., can
be had on hire from several city
tailors. Apropos of this, more definite
information can be had from your
hotel
There is no need to worry as to
what Papal etiquette requires of you
in the presence of the Holy Father.
Arrived at the Vatican, all necessary
instructions will be given to you by
the Papal chamberlains, lay gentlemen
who speak several languages. whose
business it is to serve the Pope on
these matters. Well educated non
Catholics have never any difficulty in
falling in with the requirements of
Papal etiquette. Those of them not
so we'll reared have on more than one
causing deplorable incidents, fact
that made the Vatican authorities ex-
tremely careful as to whom they al
low into the Pope's presence.
The Vatican Circular.
1t was likely because of such Incl
dents that circular was sent from
the Vatican about six.years ago to all
those in Rome whose recommendation
suffices to obtain an audience for
strangers. This circular serves to
bring out the Importance of bringing
| from home your letter Of introduction
In that circular the Majordomo of
the Vatican, now Cardinal Bisleti (who
at the time had charge Of Papal
laudiences) reminded those entrusted
with such a delicate mission to be
very careful as to whom they would
recommend for an audience, not TIC
sign any recommendation unless the
person, were known to them in trust
worthy fashion.
It is clear, therefore, that unless
Iyou have already a friend in Rome
a letter of introduction from some
well-known person at home is neces
sary.
Exchange.