An Audience with the Pope.

Cromwell Argus, Volume III, Issue 143, 6 August 1872, Page 3

An Audience with the Pope.

The Graphic’s artist at Rome (Mr Sydney Hall) writes : This was cne of those week-day receptions usually largely attended by visitors to Rome. A request is sent to Monsignore, and after more or less time a printed invitation comes through his bands, in which we are bidden to appear at the Vatican on an appointed day; ladies to be dressed in black and veiled, gentlemen in evening dress without gloves. The scene of reception varies. In this case it was in the Loggia of Pio IX., a long and narrow arcade, painted on the model of the Loggia of Raphael, which faces it across the court ©n the same floor. When I entered it was lined on either side with chairs, on which sat those who were about to be presented. I found a place, and composed myself to wait full half an hour. There were the walls to look at, covered with arabesques and paintings of birds, beasts, and fishes. The fishes recalled the occupation of the first of the Popes. There are quails that fed the children of Israel ; ibises that the Egyptians worshipped; the pelican of the wilderness; the owl in the desert; the sparrow on the housetop; locusts, wild honey, and wild guinea-pigs. My studies were divided between a very pretty American girl, to whose confetti I had offered myself as a victim during the Carnival, and an English militia officer in silver and scarlet of a very ancient fashion. All of us had brought rosaries to be blest, which hung on our arras, the gentlemen being bedizened with armlets, and bracelets, and necklaces, almost as much as the ladies. At length a Swiss guard appeared at the end of the gallery, and after him a Monsignore, who made a sign which we interpreted to mean, “ The Pope is coming ; you had better kneel.” So we all knelt. And between the kneeling lines came the Pope : lifted his hand for a minute in benediction ; then motioned us to rise. So we all rose. The Pope was in his statuesque dress of white—all white. He was followed by Monsiguori in black and violet, one of whom held his scarlet hat. Then one by one his visitors were introduced to him, not by their uames, but by their nations ; and to an American he would say, “ Ah, New York!” to the Irish, “Ah, Doblino!” to the English, “ Ah, Londra !” The person addressed meanwhile reverently bent the knee, and after this remark kissed the hand of His Holiness. I was wondering whether I should kneel decorously and kiss his hand in the right place, when his progress was stopped by a little boy who was suddenly possessed and prophesied—in other words, he knelt and repeated a piece of poetry before him. The Pope was brought to a long standstill; he philosophicaly took out his snuff-box, and patted now the snuff-box, now the head of the little boy ; then said, “ bravo, bravo ;” and between the pinches addressed a word or two of congratulation to the devoted mother, who knelt alongside. In time the child finished, and the Pope moved on. My turn had all but come ; but when the Pope was next but one to me, my next neighbour, a young girl, prostrated herself before him, and flung her arms about with wild gesticulations close to my face. She made a fervid address, in which the words “ temples,” “ profanation,” “ barbarians,” were heard at short intervals. Now there was scarcely a yard between the Pope and myself, and we kept looking first at the girl and then at one another, exchanging glances of scant approval, so that I seemed to get quite at home with His Holiness. Once, upon my word, his eyes twinkled so that I thought he winked at me; and the snuff-box was so close that I should not have been surprised if he had offered me a pinch. Now this familiarity into which I had been betrayed by these touches of nature and pinches of snuff, bred contempt for me in the mind of the Holy Father. For when my own turn came, though I bent the knee most humbly, and kissed his hand most reverently (just between the third and little finger below the ring), he vouchsafed never a word—not even “ Ah, Londra.” He passed on, and when all had been introduced he made a short speech in French, in which he trusted that in these times of error his blessing might tend to lead us to truth. And so the audience ended ; but just as the Pope was going away a lady threw herself on the ground before him to kiss his foot, and a Monsignore gallantly assisted by lifting up the white robe from the scarlet slipper. It was a little comic, tI.L; but showed what marvellous hold the spiritual power has still over the hearts of women if not of men.