THE POPE.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1872, 4 October 1913, Page 9

THE POPE.

TENTH ANNIVERSARY 081 HI9 CORONATION. The tenth anniversary of the corona" tion of Pope Pius X passed very quietly (says tho London "Tablet"). There was, of course, no Papal Chapel; messages of congratulation and homage on the 'part of diplomats, cardinals, and prelates taking tho place of the ,oustomary attendance in person in tho Sistine; tho Swiss Guard, flag was flying at the bronze doors; those of the Pontifical Gendarmes and tho Palatine Gnard in tho oortilo of St. Damaso, l where also tho band of the gendarmes playing in tho evening. Tho "Catholio Youth of Italy." tho "Circolo Religiono e Patria," ana other associations sent telegrams of homage. Tho_ Anticamera on duty were specially received in audience for tho samo purpose, and the Holy Father's quiet regular routino was. otherwise undisturbed.

Tbis conclusion of the tenth .year of the Pontificate of Pius X has aroused, in the ordinary Roman press, nothing beyond just the usual commont. Tho old legend l of the "nine years" seems to havo passed out of mind. Yet, if thero liad been anything in tho story at all, beyond tho actual facts of coincidence, August 9 or August 3 would havo been tho date on which tho curiosity-seekers' eyes Bhould havo been fixed. For tho story ran. that as Cardinal Sarto stepped into his gondola at Venice on his way to tho station and to Rome for the Conclave of 1903, ho said to a friend; "I was nine years curate of Tonibolo, nino years parish priest" of Salzuio, nine years canon of , Treviso, nino years Bishop of _ Manfrita u l have. been nino years Patriarch of Venice, and if I am elected Pope you will see I shall bo so for nine years." .Of course aiiyono with' the slightest acquaintance with tho ■character of Pius A knows that ho could not possibly ha.vo Bpoken any words approaching tho last, attributed to him: and everyone knows that whon-ho lefo Venico nothing waa further from his mind than tha possibility of his being raised to tho Pontificate, \et that has been tlie legend, and for those who attributed any veri-similitude to it, tho ! "nino years Pope" period concluded on August 3 last, seemed to bo taken for granted—in 1912. Tho coincidence may have caused an extra shiver of anxiety to some hero tkreo months ago; it is quit© certain tpat lb had no effect on tho person principally, ooncerned, His Holiness himself, cepfc perhaps to oauso a smile.