Year: 1879

THE poNTIFF's SPEECH ON THE rwENTY-FIFrH


ANNIVERSARY OF THE FEAST OF THE IMMAcU-


LATE CONCEPTION.


On the feast of the Immaculate conception of the
blessed virgin. the Pope. Leo Kill. received in
special audience at the Vatican body Of Italian pill
grims, who had como to His Holiness under the
presidency Of Count Acquaderni. president Of the
Superior Council Of the Society of Italian Youth.
The Sovereign Pontif accompanied to the audi
ence by Cardinals Sacconi. D Luca, Monaco La VAL
letta. Oreglis. Giannelli. Ledochowski. D'Avanzo,
Nina, Mertel Pacca. De Falloux. Peilegrni. Pscci.
Hergemoether. Zigliari and Cattani. well by q
large number Of Italian and other bishops. The pill
grmage consisted Of more than six hundred persons
and was received in one of the large halls of the
Vatican. An address to the Holy Father having been
read by Count Acquaderni. His Holiness replied as
follows:-


On this very happy day. on which is reached the
twenty fifth anniversary of the definition of the inn
conception Mary 1t is most just that your
souls and the souls OF all tho faithful should yield
themselves up to more than usual 5oy as the result
twenty years since our predecessor, Plus 1X OF
happy memory, for whom Providence had reserved
the good fortune of adding most brilliant pearl to
the crown OF the virgin and of associating his own
glory with the glory Of the mother Of God, promul
gated in the face of the Catholic world which was
filed with respect and enthusiasm. the dogmatic de-
cree Of the immaculate conception of Mary.
Immediately on its pronunciation the faithful.
mother. penetrated with tanderness at the
thought Of her greatness and filed with
holy hopes, gave themselves up then. well as in
the succeeding years, to q universal and splendid
celebration of that remarkable prerogative. AS for
yourselves at the approach Of the first jubilee of that
memorable day and on the occasion of your fifth
pilgrimage to Rome you manifested in our presence
your purpose and your desire to celebrate most
solemnly the twenty-ffth anniversary Of that dog
matte definition, and we-the recollection Of is
is one which it is pleasant to recall-fnding this
cordially praised it, and blessed it with ali
the earnestness OF our heart, ready to open
to the faithful. with the greatest possible e1-
tension. the heavenly treasury Of indulgences In
this happy conuncture tho bishops Of the Catholic
world. in their pastoral zeal. have been soicitous
appeal, which has been heard with such effect
that everywhere within q briet interval there has
been displayed lively desire. and. as it were.
most magnificent demonstrations Of religious fer
vor. You. in conformity with an excellent IN
spiration, and putting under the auspices Of tho
blessed virgin your sixth pilgrimage, were eager
assemble first near the tomb OF the Prince Of the
proclaimed before all the world this wonderful
privilege, and then to confirm to-day. by new and
of jesus Christ. In ali Italy or rather in all the
world there Is to-day but one thought among all
believers. and that to render homage to the
immaculate virgin by exalting her gories and ~
recommending to her the Church and tho visible
head that governs it. This outburst of piety and
devotion, ardent. universal and 30 unani-
nous, is o great consolation to us In the
midst of the warfare which is to-day being
waged with SO much fury against the Church; 1t
rouses the hope OF y complete triumph error
and hell. In truth, the error which pervades,
and almost makes mad the proud spirits Of our
times. is that cold and low naturalism which has
taken possession of every stage of life. public
and private. and which substitutes tho human
reason for the divine, nature for grace, and de-
spises the Redeemer. Now. the virgin. by her i'm
macuate conception. opportuncly recalls to the
faithful people that by the fall of the first father
poor humanity has served, feeble and infrm 1t
has been for 30 many ages. as a toy for error and
for the passions; that through Jesus Christ alone
have come in abundance grace, truth. salvation,
life; that without Him there is for neither
dignity, nor greatness nor true good. and finally.
that whoever tries to withdraw himself from the
benehcent influence Of the Redeemer remains in
darkness, falls into the pit and goes straight to
forecertain ruin. Further the immaculate concep-
ton reveals to the secret. and the first cause Of
the great power OF Mary over our common enemy.
who by the means Of his loyal ministers is carrying
o cruel war against the Church. In fact. faith
Mary was destined to exercise against the demons
and their implacable and eternal hostility
first moment OF her existence she has been powerful
in crushing their naughty head-and tpsd conteret
caput tsum. This thought ought to excite confidence
in her who, strong in the power OF her Divine Son.
has extinguishsd all heresies, and who in the Sc
vorest trials, has been the shield and the succor
Of Christians. This thought fixes in all hearts the
certainty that once again the final victory will rest
with Mary. For you, my dear children. and. with
you for all believing people, by the frank profession
of faith, by the exercise OF works Of virtue by
the holy virgin, hasten THAI desirable moment when
the whole human family may again rejoice in tho
signal BLESSINGS of the redemption Of Chrst-hasten
the great mother of God the tempests being ap-
peased, the people shall tho days OF prosperity,
peace and glory shining out again over the Church.
Meanwhile receive, dear children, as pledge or
paternal affection for you the apostolic bonediction
which we give you with all our hearts. Benedlctio
Del. &c.