THE DAILY LIFE OF THE POPE.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4314, 18 January 1875, Page 3

THE DAILY LIFE OF THE POPE.

(From the Weekly Reyister and Catholic . Standard.) Winter and summer, in spite of his eightytwo years, Pius IX. rises at half-past five, and dresses himself without any assistance. He generally wakes of himself. After some prayers he goes up to one of his private chapels, where the Holy Sacrament is always preserved, and which contains some inestimable relics ; among others a fragment of the crib, and a large piece of the true cross, the veil of St. Veronica, a considerable portion of the skull of St. John the Baptist, and some of the teeth of St. Peter. He then prepares for his Mass, which he says at half-past seven iu a smaller and less decorated chapel. Those persons who have obtained permission at the audiences of the previous day assist at this Mass, and receive the Holy Communion from his hand. . . . At the audiences in the Pope’s apartments only men are received. Directly one visit is terminated, his Holiness rings a little handbell, which is placed upon his table, and another person is introduced by the prelate in attendance. Towards twelve o’clock or half-past the Holy Father leaves his room and proceeds to take a walk in the garden or library, or sometimes in the halls and galleries. On his way he meets families, deputations, and persona admitted to public audiences. He blesses and indulgences the rosaries, medals, and crosses, with which visitors are iu general amply provided. He exchanges a few words with each person, ho listens to their demands, and often he addresses a little discourse to them. At half-past ono the Holy Father returns from his promenade. He dismisses his attendants, and again goes up to his little chapel, where he remains until two o’clock iu ■adoration before the Blessed Sacrament. Then comes the hour of dinner. This repast is invariably composed of a potaye and of some poultry, which is served upon a large plate, together with some broth and vegetables. (This is more iu accordance with the English than with tho foreign custom.) The Pope rarely touches either poultry or broth. Ho takes some of the vegetables, a little Roman frilurc, and some fruit. The train-bearer and private secretary of his Holiness, Mgr. Cinni, assists at tho repasts. In summer, tho dinner is followed by a siesta of a quarter of an hour. The rosary and the recital of the office in the Breviary, which the Pope says daily with as much strictness as any country cart, occupies his time until four o’clock, when ho takes a second walk—in the winter iu the Loyes tie Raphael, and in the summer in tho garden of the Vatican. Some of the bcaux-esprits have amused themselves at tho idea of this “prisoner,” whom, say they, everyone surrounds with respect, and no one prevents from going out. It is not tho less true, however, that Pius IX. is morally as closely imprisoned as if tho gates of the Vati-

can were all bolted fast. It would be impossible for him to go beyond the palace without at once exciting by his presence manifestations of the most opposite land. The insults and reviling* of the Liberal press would be called forth by the transports of the faithful, as a proof of which we may recall the scenes of the 24th May, last, when the crowd thought that they perceived the Sovereign Pontiff at the windows of the Vatican. The Pope’s favorite walk in the gardens is one carpeted with flowers and bordered with magnificent orange trees. He likes to rest upon an iron seat at the further end, under the shade of a -weeping'willow, near a fountain which is called the Fountain of Zitella, while through the railings of the neighboring poul-try-yard ho throws crumbs of bread and cake to some little pigeons, whose plumage is as white as bis own habit. In the very hot weather, Pius IX.'prefers a neighboring walk, equally scented by the perfume of the .orange trees, but far more shady, and at the end of which is a miniature facsimile of the Grotto of Lourdes, with the statute of the Blessed Virgin and the miraculous fountain. Sometimes the Holy Father pursues his walks between the hedgerows and among the groves ornamented with statues and with cascades ; but he never descends into the parterre, notwithstanding the care with which a zealous gardener has designed in gigantic characters in box the amorial bearings of the Pope, with the words, Pio Nono , Pontijice massUno. Leaning on a stick, and slightly bending forward, Pius IX. still walks bravely, and often he only sits down (as he observes with a smile) in order to give a little rest to the weary limbs of the old Cardinals, who have some difficulty in following him ! His holiness then returns to the house and remains with the persons of his household until the hour of the Angelus, which he always says aloud, followed by a I)e Profundis. Then the private audiences begin again, and last until supper-time. The Pope takes his third meal about nine o’clock, immediately before retiring for the night. This repast is even more simple than the preceding ones, for it is only composed of some broth with two plainly boiled potatoes, seasoned with a little salt, followed by some fruit. Ido not know (adds the correspondent of the Frawfawf) if many jirinces, or even if many private individuals would be well contented with such a ’ bill of fare. The Holy Father retires at ten o’clock without the assistance of any valet dc chambre , and often at this time the servant of the week, who sleeps in an adjoining room, overhears the venerable Pontiff chanting in a low voice to himself the Canticles of the Church. It is well known that Pius IX.' has a beautiful voice, * powerful, sonorous, and flexible. The Pope’s bed is the bed of a collegian, being of. iron, without any with the smallest piece of carpet by the bedside. It is in this very humble retreat that Pius IX. enjoys the repose which he has so laboriously earned ! His Holiness sleeps with the quiet, peaceful repose of an infant. The health which he enjoys is really extraordinary for Ins age. Once a week his physician and his Burgeon pay him a visit to fulfil the duties of their position. -The Pope, with a smile, suffers them to feel his pulse, and when they have quite decided that he is without fever, Pius IXdismisses the doctors with good-Tiumored affability, and with, some of ’those kindly pleasantries for which he is so remarkable. Trials of every kind have passed over the head of the venerable Pontiff without overcoming him, or without in any way diminishing that supernatural serenity which is like a visible aureola on his brow. The barque of Peter is accustomed to the tempest; she floats over it as if it were her native element.