CANDIDATIES FOR THE PAPACY.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 11340, 5 October 1898, Page 1

CANDIDA TIES FOR THE PAPACY.

Who will bt the next Pope? This (says the Home correspondent of the Pall Mall Gazette) is the question which, notwithstanding the optimistic reports of the Vatican papers on Leo X lll's, health, runs from mouth to month. It is the only indication to those outside of the vast and complicated machinery already set going preparatory to the next conclave. Of course, this query can never be answered definitely, and this time even less than usual, owing to there being no really prominent figures among the members of the Sacred College. Then, again, will the next Pope be an Italian or a foreigner 1 In the Sacred College the native and foreign Cardinals are about equal in numbers. It is easily understood that it would be almost impossible- for the foreign Cardinals to agree upon one candidate ; but if a considerable number of -Italians could be induced to side with the largest of the foreign factions, the candidate of the latter might be elected, However, it is the general opinion that tbe successor of Leo XIII. will be an Italian, it being considered that a Pope of this nationality can revindicate better than a stranger the rights of the Church as opposed to the State, becau3e it must never be forgotten that, in the election of the next Pope, and in many elections to come, the principal motive that will guide the Sacred College in choosing the head •of the Church will be the Roman question. On the other band, the Italian Liberals, who always hope for a conciliation between Church and State, advocate the election of a foreign Pope as a means to their cod. But those who know well the members of the Sacred College assert that many foreign Cardinals, and especially some English, French, Austrian, and Spanish whom I could mention, would be much more uncompromising than any of the j stanchest Italian extremists. Excluding the possibility of a foreign Pope, the struggle will be confined to Cardinal Ilampolla, who will be the highest expression of a political Pope continuing the work of Leo. XIII , of whom he has been for over 10 years Secretary of State, and to a non-political but simply religious candidate. Those most spoken of ate Cardinals Angelo di Pietro and Girolamo Maria Gotti. The former- is « the son of a shepherd of the environs

of Rome, and is already called the " holy mau." He is now just 70 years old, and was educated for the pricßtlji^Qd by the Bishop of his diocest*Ußpen he was a simple priest, visiting a monnstry, an old ' monk threw himself on his knees an>l kissed the buckle of Pietro's shoe. The young priest was much taken aback, and asked the reason for this demonstration. The monk, raising Irs ojea heavenward, said, " Father, when you are Pope I shall be dead ; so 1 wish now to kiss your holy foot." Cardinal Gotti is 64 years of age, and was born in Genoa. He had the advantage of corresponding to the prediction of the Prophet Malachia, who left a book containing a motto for each future Pope* which, they say, has never failed. For Leo XIIL it was " Lumen de coelo," while for bis successor it is " Ignis ardens ;" and, in. fact, in the of arms of Cardinal Gotti, there is a burning torch. Leo XII 1., who has a special attention for him, has often called him "my snece9sor."