The Coronation of Pope Leo XIII [pp. 280-285]

The Coronation of Pope Leo XIII.
THE CORONATION OF POPE LEO XIII.
(FROM CUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.)
ROME, March 20, I878.
THERE is a passage in the circular of
the cardinals addressed to the diplomatic corps accredited to the Holy See
on the eve of the conclave which deserves to be noted in connection with
the issue of the conclave and the secular
policy of the new Pontiff. The circular,
after renewing all the protests and reservations of the deceased Pontiff, and
declaring the intention of the cardinals
to hold the conclave in Rome, because
the first duty of the Sacred College is
to provide the widowed church with a
pastor as quickly as possible, says:
"And this resolution was taken with the
greater tranquillity, inasmuch as, pledging the future in no wise, it left the future Pontiff at liberty to adopt those mzeasures which the good of souls and the
general interests of the church will suggest to him in the difficult and painful
condition of the Holy See at present."
The future for the new Pontiff is a free
and open field which he can traverse in
the manner he shall judge best for the
weal of the church. The protests and
reservations of the deceased Pontiff
touching the temporalities of the Holy
See constitute a realm of principle. Surrounding this is a free border-land for
the new Pope.
People here in Rome and elsewhere
who speculate much on the present condition of the Holy See, and especially on
the so-called antagonism existing between itself and the Italian government,
hoped that Leo XIII. would assume a
less inflexible attitude before the people.
Of the liberals, the conservatives, who
are the acknowledged exponents of the
sentiments of the crown, hoped for a formal conciliation. The Catholics expected that the new Pope would at least
appear occasionally in public to bless
them; while the curious tourists of all
countries had visions of the solemn and
imposing ceremonies in St. Peter's
which were the characteristic feature of
Rome in other days. The expectations
of all have been falsified so far. Since
the 3d of March, the day of Leo XIII.'s
coronation, the most sanguine liberals
have desisted from their conciliatory
speculations, and the rest have settled
down into quiet resignation, yet hoping
that a propitious occasion may again
bring the Pontiff in public before his
people.
A more fitting occasion than the day
of his coronation could not be desired.
Nay, the Pontiff himself had resolved to
make his appearance, and be crowned
before the people, in the upper vestibule
of St. Peter's. The Mass and other
functions, prefatory of the coronation,
were to have been performed in the Sistine Chapel. In fact, on the Ist of March
the members of the Sacred College each
received an intimation from the acting
Secretary of State that the ceremonies
preceding the coronation would be performed in the Sistine Chapel of the Vatican Palace. In the vicinity of the inner
balcony of St. Peter's temporary balconies were erected for the diplomatic
corps, the Roman nobles, and persons
of distinction, native and foreign. The
confession of St. Peter and the papal
altar under the dome were surrounded
with a strong railing to prevent accidents, while the central balcony itself
was enlarged by extending it farther out
into the basilica and back into the vestibule. It had been the intention of His
Holiness to be crowned here, and afterwards to bestow the apostolic benediction upon the people below. But on
Friday afternoon, March I, the workmen
received orders not only to discontinue
but to undo the preparations. It is unnecessary to speculate on the cause of
this order in the presence of explana.
tory facts. A demonstration of enthusiastic devotion on the part of the multitude of Catholics who would be assembled there was naturally expected, and
in this there was nothing deterrent whatever. But the information had eked
abroad, and was duly reported to His
Holiness, that a party of Conciliators had
resolved to seize the occasion of the solemn benediction, and create a demonstration in favor of a conciliation with
280