THE HOLY FATHER'S JUBILEE

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXI, Issue 15, 9 April 1903, Page 3

THE HOLY FATHER'S JUBILEE

Twenty-five years ago to-day (writes the Rome correspondent of the Dublin 'Freeman's Journal' under date February 20) the Conclave which was summoned to elect a successor to the Well-beloved Pontifl Pius IX.— whoso death had taken place nineteen days previously — concluded its unusually brief session by the election ' of Cardinal Gioacchino Pecci, Archbishop of Perugia, to the See of St. Peter. The 20th of Februaiy of 1878 was, in Rome, a cold, raw day, with heavy clowls that seemed to threaten rain covering tho sky. The people who had gathered in the Piazza of St Peter's awaiting the result of the voting of the Cardinals, who were assembled in the Sistine Chapel— tho place of the Conclave — had lost the hope of seeing the termination of the voting, by means of the smoke thai issued from the tiny chimney that projected trom the wall of the Sistine, and had for the most part letired The Piazza was almost deserted, when half an hour latet — that is to say, at one in the afternoon — the windows of the gieat 'loggia' above the central entrance to St Peter's, weie thrown open, and a Caidmal appealed at the balustrade of the 'loggia.' The Conclave was over : a new Pontiff was elected. At four o'clock of the afternoon of the 3 Bth the Cardinals entered into Conclave. At halt-past 12 on the 20th Cardinal Pecci was elected with 44 out of fil votes. Cardinal Caterini, Dean of the Order oi Cardinal Deacons, preceded by the processional cross, and accompanied by tho Pontifical Masters of Ceremonies and others, approached the 'loggia' whence the Popes were accustomed to give the Benediction to the city and the world. Weak with age and illness, with a voice that was tremulous, Cardinal Cateiini approached nnd stammered out the words that announced the tidings of great joy, that a Pontiff had be'en elected : Annuntio vobis gjaudium magnum. ' Habemus Papam EnunentisBimum et Reverend lssimum Doniinum Pecci gui sibi nomen imposuit Loo Xlll.' The \ery few persons present in the Pia?xa when the windows of the 'loggia' were opened hurried lorw.ud to hear the news A long cry of acclamation rose up from them, and this was soon followed by the ringing of the bells of St. Peter's in joyous tones The church liells of the city weie rung, and in a short time The Joyous News was conveyed from end to end of Rome, and the people began to flock to tho vast basilica of St Peter's. In the 'Calcografia,' or .Governmental Department of Steel Engravings, a very fine portrait of Cardinal Pecci, beautifully engraved in steel, was exhibited, with the inscription, 'His Holiness Leo XIII , P.M.' written in blue pencil beneath it ; and m the immediate vicinity I remember meeting a little boy who was going home to tell the great news to his mother, and was repeating at intervals on the way, ' Leone Deumoterzo ! Leone Pecimoterzo ! ' Tho great Church of St. Petei's was almost filled. The people turned their eves to the door, for above it a ftreat red drapery hung at the 'loggia' within the church which corresponds to that without Aiiout four o'clock the great windows of the inner 'loggia' weie thrown open . and after a short interval the people beheld the new Pontiff all in white, and pale as the robes he wore, appearing at tho 'loggia,' and then they sent forth a great cry of joy. The new Pontiff raised his hand to enjoin silence on the crowd, and then in that majestic ringing voice which has been heard so frequently during this last quarter of a century by so many hundreds of thousands of people from all corners of the civilised world, he pronounced over the faithful people of Rome his first triple Benediction Tears stood in the eyes of many, cries of joy were utteied by the lips of others, and the waving of handkerchiefs and the murmur of many thousands of voices in more or less articulate sounds, greeted the first Benediction in public of the new Pontiff.

This is the Event which Christian Rome, and with it the whole Catholic world, commemorates to-day, twenty-five years after its occurrence. No one, least of all Leo XIII., then imagined that this was the beginning of a Pontificate une£uaJied \ n duration except by Pius IX., in the annals of the Church since St. Peter until the present day. To-day Leo XIIII. begins the 26th year of his Pontificate. It was Cardinal Donnet, Archbishop of Bordeaux, that related how Cardinal Pecci, hearing his own name repeated so often during the voting, and perceiving that everything pointed to him as the successor of Pius IX., •great tears rolled down his cheeks, and his hand shook so violently that the pen it held fell to the ground. I picked it up and gave it to him,' continued Cardinal Donnet, 'saying, "Courage ! There is no question here of you ; it i.s the Church and the future of the world that are in question.' lie made no reply, only lifting his eyes to heaven to implore the Divine assistance.' To-day the chief point of attraction in Rome seems to be St. Peter's and the Vatican. Trams, omnibuses, cabs, and carriages, proceeded from all parts of the city to the Vatican. For the happy anniversary of the 25th year of his election to the Papacy Leo XIII. this morning was made the object of special manifestations of affection. In the Hall of Beatification which is above the vestibule of St. Peter's, the numerous pilgrims now in Rome— 2soo came from Lombardy the day before yesterday— were received by him in audience this morning. On |£ This .Joyous Anniversary took place the presentation to the Pope of the very rich golden tiara, the gift of the Catholics of tho whole world. ]t was presented by his Eminence Cardinal Respighi, Vicar of Rome, accompanied by all the bishops who are in Rome at the present moment, for this occasion. All the Cardinals ot the Sacred College here assisted at the solemn ceremony, which was carried out with great .solemnity. The Noble Guards, who accompanied the Pope, appeared to-day in their new uniforms of ied, a color which they ha\e not worn since the 20th of September, 1870. All the members of the Pontifical Court were arrayed in their most gorgeous uniforms The Tiara. which the Catholics of the world, on the initiative of the International Committee, presided o\er by Count Giovanni Aequaderni, offer to-daj. to the Holy Father, has been executed by the illustrious Bolognese artist, the goldsmith Augusto Milani, whose tornier works have been much admired, such a? the votive lamp offered by the Italian pilgrimage at the Shrine of Our Lady of Louides The tiara is of fine silver bands, all wrought in relief, of o\a, form, somewhat pointed at the top, surmounted by the cross dominating a tiny globe representing the world, and this is fixed upon a curved, dome-like lorm which surmounts the pierced summit of the tiara, the piercings being in star-like forms suggests ing the firmament. The silver o\al is divided by three crowns of the purest gold placed one abo\e the other. The two bands which run between the first and second and the second and third crowns are adorned with continuous rehels, very choice in design, and very finely wrought, representing olive blanches burdened with truit, which, rising from the base, are exquisitely interwoven one with another, covering the silver groundwork with leaves and fruit In the great Basilica of St. Peter this morning the pilasters and portions of the wall were draped in crimson damask, as for a festa. The bronze statue of St. Peter seated on the Throne with the symbolical keys m the left hand, and tho right hand raised in benediction, was arrayed to-day in the great crimson cope which is usually only seen on the Feast of St. Peter, nnd on the head was the jewel-studded tiara. The Confession of St. Peter was beautifully adorned with an abundance of richest flowers, and the altar splendidly decorated. Behind it, towards the apse, a special altar had been erected, at which his -Eminence Cardinal Rampolla, Secretary of State to his Holiness and Archpriest of the Basilica, celebrated Mass. At the altar of the Catted ra, above which rises St Peter's Chair encased in a richly wrought covering of gilded bronze, many canriles were lighted, so that the whole vast space had the appearance of a joyous festival. The Cardinal celebrated the Mass of Thanksgiving for the preservation of the life of the Pontiff. This afternoon, as I write, thousands of people are hurrying over the Bridge of St. Angelo, and the other bridges which cross the Tiber to the great Church of St Peter, where aTe Doum in thanksgiving to God is to be sung on the completion of Leo XIII. 's Silver Jubilee in the Pontificate A Rome correspondent, writing under date March 3, says : — To-day ends the silver jubilee celebrations of the twenty-fifth anniversary of the coronation of Pope Leo XIII , and ends the twenty-fifth year of the most illustrious pontificate of many centuries. "While all the world is rejoicing that the Holy Father is spared to see his uibilee, Rome is in a state of excitement surpassing anything seen for a quarter of a centiu-y. Invitations of over 00.000 persons to witness the Pontifical Mass and ceremonies were issued. All last night's preparations went forward at St Peter's and the decorations were completed early this morning. A heavy rain that lasted all night kept the people from spending the hours before the doors of St Peter's, as is usual on such occasions in order to secure good positions. Tho rain aided the troops and police in maintaining order. But the vicinity

of St. Peter's was crowded hours before the time set for the beginning of the exercises, and St. Peter's was Crowded to the utmost capacity. Borne aloft on the shouldeis of eight court officers in the gilded papal chair, the sedia frestatoria, his benign countenance surmounted by the new tiara presented to him by the Royalty of Europe, the Holy Father was carried from the Vatican to St Peter's. He was attired in white silk cassock and white cope embroidered in gold. The dignity of his venerable countenance, the splendor of the triple crown, the whiteness of his garb and the red cushions and gold chain formed a most striking symphony of colors. The imposing procession passed between two lines of reverent personages, who, at ordinary times, expect the homage of the bended knee. Royal heads were bowed in token of respect to the most remarkable personage on earth. To the" Tribunal at the far end of St. Peter's the Holy Father was borne. The temporary throne erected for the occasion stood directly under the Chair of Peter. Vesting himself in the dalmatic tunic and chasuble, the Holy Father, with slow and dignified tread, passed to the centre of the church to the altar of St. Peter, which stands directly over the tomb of Saints Peter and Paul. With bended head the Holy Father recited in Latin the psalm '" Judica 'at the foot of the altar. Thus began the celebration of Solemn Pontifical Mass. Three times before the offertory was reached he passed back to his throne with careful step. At these times the grand choir broke forth in the impressive strains of the ■Gregorian Mass. From the offertory to the end of the Mass his Holiness remained at the altar. Then followed the administration of the Papal blessing. Cardinals, monsignori, archbishops, bishops, priests, and Swiss Guards and the Royalty present with one accord bowed their heads and reverently and gratefully accepted the benediction of the Vicar of Christ on earth. The Papal blessing is a ceremony occupying several minutes, and during the impressive suspense all the depth of the natures of the vast audience was moved to filial devotion. The chanting of the 'Te Deum ' sounded like a thunder of approval from above. The entire active ceremony occupied over two hours. As the Papal procession was returning to the palace the sky was rent with the cry :— Long live the Pope I Over 80,000 voices Joined in the rejoicing cry. The very sky of Italy seemed to thrill in response to the joyful sound. Many personages, filled as with the affection of children for a father, wept tears of joy in each other's arms. Demonstrations of emotion were open and general.