HIS HOLINESS THE POPE.

Patea Mail, Volume IX, Issue 1069, 6 August 1883, Page 2

HIS HOLINESS THE POPE.

Pope Leo XIII. is by no means an idle man. He rises very early, and after hours of private devotion, is always present at the first mass celebrated at 7 a.m. At Bhe takes a cup of chocolate mixed with coffee, and reads the letters and despatches that have arrived for him. At 9he receives the Secretary of State, and afterwards Prefects and Secretaries of congregations in rotation. At noon his Holiness receives the Princes and Ambassadors. At 1 o’clock he goes to prayer and devotional reading, after which he takes a very frugal dinner. It is calculated that though the Pope receives something like £360,000 annually for the expenses of the Holy See, his own food costs only about 2s a day, everything Included, After dinner he visits the chapel, and, if time-permits, takes a-walk in the gardens of the Vatican, where he directs .the gardeners, and takes lhe ;; healthy interest in their' work that would be shown by any ordinary country gentleman. After his walk he converses with any visitors who have heen allowed to approach him, and 4 o’clock hi once more gives audience to his cardinals and bishops. About 7 p.m. he takes a little rest and works alone till half-past 8, when supper is served.’ From that time, till about II of 12 tile Pope occupies himself with reading theological works* sent him by the Nuncios from nil parts of the world. This is pretty well for a man who was 74 in March.