Evening star., 1925-11-01
Pope Plus Daily Routine Described
Revealing P0ntiffs Constant Labor

cret chamberlains on duty for the
week, who act as private secretaries,
and sits in an armchair for half an
hour But he hardly ever sleeps dur
ing the day.
At half-past I TO the minute, tho
Pope takes his daily walk or drive
in the Vatican gardens. Not many
non-CatholiCs realiZe the fact that the
pontiffs, from the moment they are
elected Pope a the solemn conclaye
of cardinals, never leave the precincts
Of the Vatican. Even after death they
are entombed in the crypt underneath
ST. Peters. Only this year the re-
mains of Pope Leo XIII were carried
TO their last resting place AT st. John
Lateran, where he had had his monu-
ment put up during his lifetime. So
the garden is the Pope's only recrea-
ton ground. 1t is not large. 1t is sit
uated on lowlying ground like the rest
of the Vatican domain and is hot and
rather close in Summer. What this
must mean to Plus NJ. whose great
recreation was mountaineering. can be
imagined. Yet never once has a word
of complaint been heard from him.
After exactly an hour IN the garden
the Pope returns to the palace and be-
gins his audiences again. They last
until :. AS soon as they are over, he
proceeds to his private chapel and re-
cites the rosary with his two secret
chamberlains and two personal serv-
ants.
AT night, after a supper vet more
| frugal than the dinner-for the meat
or fish course is left out-his holiness
again engages in PRAYER. Then he
studies for an hour or so, and SAYS
| mass after midnight.
AT last the long day is over and he
retires
Without change of air, through thu
most oppressively hot weeks OF Sum.
| mer when Rome is swept by the damp,
| hot sirocco wind from African deserts,
| ii is marvel that Pope Plus, per-
| forming the superhuman work entail.
! ed by the holy year, robust as he IS.
keeps well.
Latterly. of an evening, part Of the
| time allotted for studying is given TOT
| listening in" A British firm in-!
| stalled a radio apparatus for the Pope,
and he delights in the concerts which
| he hears from Rome and Milan, from
| Paris, London, Berlin and other Euro
| pean capitals But no other kind Of
| radio program is ever heard. Not
! long ago an American offered him a
| gold set" The Pontiff courteousiy
declined 1t. I'VE are not so rich here
| as you are in America" he said.
Two circumstances help the present
| pontif to bear without detriment to
| health the burden of work and respon-
| sibility laid on his shoulders. He
| comes of a sound, robust stock OF
midle-class people. frugal and indus
| trious, his father having been owner
| of small silk mill at Desio, Lake
| Como, where the Pope was born 6S
| years ago. His fresh color. his almost
| unwrinkled face, clear, penetrating
| eyes and athletic walk denote the man
of plain and simple living. Calm and
| order are his watchwords. says Cardi-
nal Lualdi, who has known him since
| childhood. His vast culture, his deep
! knowledge OF history have doubtless
developed his naturally clear, we'll
| balanced mind his discipline Of
| thought. His constant devotion, his
attachment to religious contemplation
are well known.
PreIates who were attached to Benss
dict XIV think Plus XI somewhat
| cold. But underneath his calm eNs
! terror dwell a passionate love for all
spiritual beauty a profound pity for
suffering humanity, especially tender
sympathy for little children and other
helpless ones.
His satisfaction at the enormous
numbers of Catholics who have visited
Rome this Holy year is unbounded.
He notes at the end Of each day. In a.
| little book he keeps for the purpose,
the number of pilgrims he has re-
ceived. exhorted and blessed, their
country and condition. Then he adds
up the total to date Of all pilgrims who
have come to him from the beginning
| of the Holy year.