Pueblo chieftain., 1922-02-01
BY FREDERIC ]. HAsK1N

WASHINGTON. d. c.. Jan. 2e.-Thc
new Pope who will be elected In Rome
this week will be the e6oth in the line
descending from Peter. Leo XIII con-
sidered that he was the 2s3rd Pope. but
since his death five names have been
discovered from tho list owing TO tho
doubt OF their being authentic.
Tho Popes have sprung from all
walks IN life. Sixtus V hcrdcd sheep,
Leo Y came from AZ family who were
masters OF Florence because OF their
riches. Adrian vi was the son OF a ship
carpenter. Paul V was IL noble, SiNtns
" was n waif. and Plus Y was
peasant. Tho reign OF Plus IN was the
longest OF any Pope, and that OF Boni-
face VI was the shortest The former
ruled for over 81 years. and the latter
but Is dayA
Volumes have been written about the
personalities and sccentricities OF tho
Popes. Sixtus V was so aggressive
that he changed tho face OF Rome and
the world in five years. Plus TX was
such a chronic specchmaker that he
delivered All addresses in a little more
than four years-an average OF two
a week. Gregory XVI was hard dhead-
ed and opposed tho construction Of rail-
ways because he believed that mech
anical industry would deprive many
people OF their means OF livelihood.
MacAuIay says that Loo X occupied
qucs and new sauces. Nicolas was
fond OF books and had n passion FOR
building. Leo NIII WAS cold. calculaf-
ing and scholarly. and accomplished
much by his rnasterful diplomacy. The
private character OF some OF the
Popes has been assailed. particularly
that of Alexander VI. who was in
power when the news OF Columbus
discovery OF America reached Rome.
ARMY LOST In ST. PETERS
There are 20 many churches In Rome
tha; to visit them at the rate of one
a day would require more than a years
time. These vary IN size from the
small chapel capable OF accommodate
ing only few persons. to great St
Peters which Is SO large that once
when the Roman Army went there to
attend mass. the assembled rank and
file fell so far short OF filling the vast
cGifice that when the general arrived
he looked about him hastily and con-
cluded that the army was late. There
arc l., 600 persons in Romo who devote
/ their whole timc to ccclesiastical mat
I terx.
| ST. Peters not only dwarfs all tho
other churches OF Rome. but ranks A.
| the giant edifice OF the world. A fam
| ous author lkened the surprise occA-
/ stoned by tho first view OF its towering
proportions to tho feeling one would
have II he met a man 40 feet tall
I Figures and comparisons can only par
I TALLY portray the real magnitude OF
/ this colossus. II covers six acres.
/ Its main aisle Is an eighth OF a mile
] long and its dome Is a twelfth Of a
mile high. II st. Peters were flooded
| tn. largest ship that sails the ocean
! could steam UP tho central aisle and
| it's maVs would scarcely reach above
I the top OF the high altar. II its capsc-
fly were taxed to the utmost a congre-
CATION OF 10000 people might assemble
within It's walls. and 100000 more could
wait outside within tho enclosure Of
tho colonnados. In tho lofty dome
there is a mosaic OF ST. Luke with a
pen in his hand. From the great
height the pen seems OF ordinary size,
but in reality 1t IN eight feet long.
| on account OF Its age, and because
It shelters the burial place OF the apos-
tie for whom 1t was named. st. Peter =
has been called tho parent church Of
Christendon. when Nero's execution
.rs led the old fisherman away to his
death, he was so infirm that he could
not carry his cross. and they crucificd
him where he fell beneath its weight.
| The old chronicles state that "A few
weeping Christians knclt there i'm the
| yellow sand that same night to pray,
1 and mon have been going there to wor-
. ship ever since.
] First n little chapel marked the spot.
i then larger structure covered II for
100 years. finally to give way to the
present towering pile which was COM
z menccd iss years ago. Great toll and
great wealth were expended in rearing
,rls mighty cathedral and many Of
the earth's great dad are asleep in
itS friendly shelter. II IS hallowed by
! ouch sacred associations that all who
enter instantly feel the spirit Of Its
majestic solemnity. The titanic pro-
portions of everything, and the age
long story that ia woven in the very
woof Of IT, appeal to tho senses in a
way that can neither be resisted nor
explained.
VATICAN HAS 1000 ROOMS
Adjoining st. Peters is the Vatican
the home of the Popcs and the largeF
palace in the world. That this extra
ordinary structure is worthy neigh
Dor of massive St Peters may be
realized from the statement that II
contains loco rooms, has 30 magnifi-
cent halls, Q galleries, I grand chapels
20 courts. S state staircases and 20t
smaller ones. besides museums. libra
riaa and archives, 1t Ia indeed a treas
Iury or art. It is raid that the contents