The Holy Father's Day

New Zealand Tablet, 3 December 1908, Page 33

The Holy Father's Day

Pdpe Pius X. (says Rome) continues to be the first person afoot in the Vatican, summer and winter, and when his attendant, Cavaliere Sili, knocks at .his door every morning at 5 o'clock he finds the Pontiff seated' in an armchair reading 'Iris breviary - and already well on with the ' hours. 1 There is a modest little chapel close to his bedroom, and here he begins Mass at 6 o'clock, assisted by one of his two secretaries, Mgr. Bressan or Mgr. Pescini, who with Mgr/ Sanfermo, foimerly Vicar-Genera) of Venice and now a Canon of St Mary Major's, constitute the little Venetian court of his Holiness. At 7 o'clock Mass and thanksgiving are over, and the Pope goes to ' breakfast,' breakfast consisting of a cup of coffee and milk, into which the Pope dips a few thin slices of bread. After this, if the is fine, there is a walk in the garden, and if not in "the loggie. Between the walk and the first of the daily receptions an interval is always left for a glance through the principal Italian papers ; then comes the Cardinal Secretary with his daily budget of affairs which have to be submitted and explained to the Pontiff; then one or two or three, as the case may be, of the heads of the different Congregations, with their budgets, containing the report of the principal business transacted at the last meeting, and their requests for the Pope's .signature to some important decrees or nominations ; and then the long list of private and public audiences which occupy from two to three hours. The interval between the audiences and the dinner is usually so short that the Pope has not long finished Vespers and compline, when it is time for dinner, which is ready punctually at 1 o'clock. The etiquette that the Pope must eat alone belongs to the past. Pius X. tried it during those first few days of his pontificate, but the plan would not work, and ever since he has always had one or both of his secretaries to dine with him. Here, as in so many other respects, the Holy Father has hardly changed at all since lie was a poor parish priest in the north of Italy. As a rule the dinner consists of soup, boiled beef, a vegetable, cheese, and fruit. The Friday fare usually consists of bean soup, an Italian meal flavored with fish. All the fasts are observed most rigorously by the Holy Father in spite of his seventy-three years, and if the doctors ever protested they have ceased to do so. The meal lasts less than three-quarters of an hour, and is enlivened by simple and familiar conversation Afterwards the Pontiff retires to his room for about an hour when he either goes down to the garden accompanied by a prelate or two, or retires to his study, and recites matins and lauds before resuming his work. The 9 o'clock supper is not more varied or complicated than the 1 o'clock dinner. There is time after it for a glance at the evening papers, then come the rosary and night prayers, and it is a very rare occasion when the Pope is not in bed at half-past 10.