BENEDICT XV.

New Zealand Tablet, 10 September 1914, Page 23

BENEDICT XV.

CARDINAL DELLA CHIESA ELECTED A cable received last Friday announced that Cardinal Della Chiesa, Archbishop of Bologna, .has been chosen to fill the place so honorably occupied by the late Pope Pius X. The new Pope, who was only created a Cardinal in May last, has taken the name of Benedict XV. Monsignor Della Chiesa (Giacomo) (James) was born at Pegli, diocese of Genoa, Italy, on November 21, 1854 ; ordained priest December 21, 1878 ; made Secret Chamberlain May 28, 1883 ; Secretary of the Spanish Nunciature from 1883 to 1887 ; Minutante in the Department of State and Secretary to Cardinal Rampolla in 1887 ; Prelate of his Holiness on July 18, 1900; Substitute of the Department of State, and appointed successor to Cardinal Svampa, Archbishop of Bologna, in 1907. The journal Rome of May 2 has the following paragraph regarding the new Pope: ‘Not only during the last six months, but during the last six years, the name of Mgr. Della Chiesa has been before the public as a probable Cardinal, and various weird explanations have been given by baffled prognosticators for the failure of their horoscope. The explanation in reality is simple enough. Mgr. Della Chiesa accompanied Mgr. Rampolla to Madrid in 1883, and remained there as secretary of the Nunciature until 1887. He then returned to Rome with Cardinal Rampolla, and entered the Secretariate of State as one of the “ minutanti,” or minor officials, until in 1901 he was appointed Substitute of the Secretariate and Secretary of the Cypher. This office is by no means a “cardinalitial post,” as is sometimes assumed, and Mgr. Della Chiesa received a noted promotion when, on December 16, 1907, Pius X. appointed him to be Archbishop of the important see of Bologna. Less than seven years of prudent administration there have won for him a place in the Sacred College. He will not be 60 years of age until next November, which is about the average age for cardinalitial creations.’ CORONATION OF BENEDICT XV. THE CEREMONY AND ITS STORY. The coronation of Benedict XV. took place in the Sistine Chapel on Sunday, and was, the cable tells us, a very impressive function. The ceremony is one of great • antiquity and solemnity. According to Moroni’s great work the first Pope of whose coronation a record appears to exist was St. Leo 111., who received the diadem in the Vatican Basilica in the year 758. Another account credits Nicholas 1., who came to the throne in 858, with being the first Pontiff who was publicly and solemnly crowned. He, like some of his predecessors and practically all his successors, was a temporal ruler, and he is said to have been the first to unite the princely crown with the mitre, although the Bollandists think that this was done before his time. Innocent 111., who reigned ■ from 1198 to 1216,. is represented in a thirteenth century picture as wearing the second crown ; and Benedict XII. (1334-1342) or Urban V. (1362-1370) is supposed to have added the third diadem that goes to form the triple crown which is placed upon the Pope’s head at his coronation, and of which a faithful representation appeared on the upper right-hand corner of the portrait of Pius X. which appeared on page 7 of our last week’s supplement. The tiara is never used at spiritual functions. .At these the Pope uses the episcopal mitre. From very remote times (according to Moroni) the Popes used three mitres in pontifical functionsa smooth white

one, and two others of different richness, each adorned with gold lace, etc. The triple crown or tiara is probably a representation of those three kinds of papal mitre, which are in use to this day. hrom the first a Sunday or lestival was set apart as the proper day for the coronation of a Pope. This usage prevails at the present time, and has been departed from only in the case of Clement VIII., Paul 111., and a few others. Clement X. (1700-1721) was the last who set aside this ancient custom. Following another old usage, the newly-elected Pope distributed money last Saturday (the day previous to his coronation) to a number of poor persons of both sexes in the Belvedere courtyard of the Vatican. This ceremony will be repeated on each anniversary of the event. The day, of coronation was also, in the times of Papal independence, marked by the bestowal of generous largess upon the poor and the charitable institutions of the Eternal City, and the occasion was signalised by a splendid and picturesque pageantry, the firing of salvoes of artillery, illuminations and fireworks on a Si eat scale, and the pleasant hum of popular rejoicing. A legend that arose— knows how— still runs to the effect that on the coronation day these words were sung or said in the presence or hearing of the new Pope: ‘Non videbis annos Petri’—‘thou shaft not see the years of Peter ’ —meaning that his pontificate should not last for twenty-five years The story is utterly without foundation. Before the Piedmontese troops took possession of Rome in 1870, the coronation of the Popes took place in the great basilica of St. Peter’s amidst scenes of great and festive splendor. Leo XIII., however, from motives of prudence, was crowned in the great chapel over the portico of St. Peter’s, in the presence of a gieat number of Cardinals and other ecclesiastics and of diplomatic representatives and laymen of exalted rank who were admitted to the ceremony by ticket. The present Pope was, according to the cable messages, crowned in the Sistine Chapel. Admission was by ticket and the ceremonies, briefly stated, were as described hereunder. Assuming—as we naturally do—that he followed the customary rite of coronation now in use, he vested in a white cope and gold mitre, and was borne on the sedia gestatoria to the portico, where the assembled Cardinals and other dignitaries, lay and ecclesiastical, and the noble guards in their ‘ high ’ uniform, awaited him. The Chapel was splendidly decked in hangings of red silk, with gold fringes and tassels, and the whole scene must have been one of brilliant coloring. The famous Sistine choir sang the lu es Petrus as he entered. The Pope took his place on the throne, received and returned the kiss of the Cardinal Archpriest of the Basilica, who then pronounced a brief congratulatory discourse. The Pope then received the ‘ obedience’ of the Chapter and other beneficed clergy of the Chapter. * Afterwards he received the homage of the Cardinals and imparted the apostolic blessing to the assembled multitude. The two Cardinal deacons attendant at the throne retired (their places being taken by others) to assume white dalmatics, while the Cardinal bishops vested in white copes, the Cardinal priests in white chasubles, the bishops and abbots of the Latin rite put on white mitres, those of the Greek and Eastern rites their proper vestments. Terce was .then sung, at the close of which the Pope prepared to celebrate Solemn Pontifical Mass. As he was borne in state on the sedia gestatoria, a master of ceremonies knelt before him, holding in his hands a silver wand, to the forked top of which was attached some tow. A cleric set fire to this with a candle, and, as it vanished in a thin puff of smoke, the master of ceremonies raised the wand aloft and sang: 1 Sancte Pater, sic transit gloria mundi ’ — 4 Holy Father, thus the glory of the world passeth away.’ This little ceremony was performed three times in succession during the Pope’s processional progress to the great papal altar. At the altar the Pope descended from the sedia gestatoria and began 1 the solemn Mass proper to the coronation, facing the people as in the Greek rite. After, the Confiteor the

pontifical pallium (the sign of the papal authority) was placed upon his shoulders by tho Cardinal deacon, and he received the homage of the Cardinals, bishops, abbots, and penitentiaries. A Litany was also sung imploring the help of tho Saviour of the World on the new Pontiff. When the Popes held the temporal sovexeignty of Rome, the new Pontiff was, after the Mass, carried on the sedia gestatoria to the large central balcony or loggia over the facade of St. Peter’s. Palestrina’s motett, ‘ A crown of gold upon his head,’ was sung, and, some prayers having been recited, tho second Cardinal deacon removed the mitre from the head of the ope, and the first Cardinal deacon (whose office it is to crown him) placed the tiara or triple crown upon las head. The newly-crowned Pope then recited the customary prayers after Mass and imparted the solemn triple blessing. This was the signal for the booming of the cannon in tho Castel S. Angelo, the crash of military music, the ringing of the bells all over the city, and the joyous ‘ evvivas ’ of the dense crowds that had gathered together in and around the great square of St. Peter’s. After the blessing the Pope, accompanied by the Cardinals, was brought by his bearers to the sacristy, where the Cardinal Dean offered, in a brief discourse, the congratulations and good wishes of the Sacred College. The Pope suitably replied, and prayed for the blessing of God and their ready help during his pontificate. The ceremonies of the coronation were then over, and he retired to his apartments. PLACES ASSOCIATED WITH BENEDICT XV. GENOA, THE PROUD. The city of Genoa, near which the new Pope was bom, owes to the magnificence of its architecture its title of ‘La Superba ’ (the Proud). Among its bestknown churches are: San Lorenzo, rebuilt in the I2th century, the lower part of the facade dating from 1100, tho remainder from 1523. The spandrils over - the door are decorated with bas-reliefs of various periods. The cupola dates from 1567. There are paintings by Barrocci, Peirari, Cambiaso, and sculptures by Montorsoli, Sansovino, Guglielmo della Porta, and others. Near by is the little church of St. John the Baptist, formerly the baptistery of the city. The church of Saints Andrew and Ambrose (600), has paintings by Guido Reni, and Rubens. Santissima Annunziata (of which we publish two engravings) has beautiful Composite columns, and a famous Last Supper by Proccaccino. In the church of St. Catherine of Genoa (with the Saints’ room adjoining) may be seen her body preserved in a silver urn. The church of Sts. Cosmas and Damian antedates the year 1000 ; that of St. Donatus, consecrated in 1189, is built of old Roman materials. St. Philip Neri dates from 1694; the Gesu Maria from 1487. The latter has paintings by Paggi, Cambiaso, and Salimbeni. St. George’s has two bronze doors, a part of the booty of Almeria (1148). The altar of St. John’s was erected after the victory at Pola. On the facade of St. Mark’s (1173) is a marble lion captured from the Venetians at Pola. Other churches are: Santa Maria in Gastello (columns of oriental granite) ; Santa Maria del Carmine (rich tabernacle) ; San Giro (the cathedral‘ till 985) San Stefano, which existed in 493, and has a painting by Giulio Romano. San Matteo, containing the war trophies of the Dorias, was founded’ in 1125 by Martino Doria, and restored by Andrea Doria from plans by Fra Giovanni Angelo Montorsoli ; on the facade is the sarcophagus of Lamba Doria, the victor at Curzola ; under the high altar 'is the tomb of Andrea’Doria, by Montorsoli, and several inscriptions recall the triumphs of this noble family of seamen and rulers. Santa Maria, in Carignano (sixteenth century), one of the handsomest churches in the world, is in the form of a Greek cross; its cupola is the work of Galeazzo Alessi of • Perugia. The Campo Santo, or public cemetery, is also greatly admired for its beautiful, statuary. Among Genoa’s public edifices are. the Albergo dei Poveri, or home for the poor (1655), with a church attached; the Loggia dei Ranchi, dr exchange, built by Galeazzo Alessi. The Palazzo Ducale (1291) is crowned with a row of stucco

statues of the various princes and kings defeated by the Genoese; its spacious halls were adorned by famous artists. The Palazzo S. Giorgio (1260), restored in 1368, has many statues of doges of the fifteenth century. Worthy of notice also are the university, founded in 1471 by Bartolomeo Bianco, tho Palazzo Beale, and the Municipio or Town Hall. Genoa has many famous private palaces— e.g., the Adorno, with paintings by Rubens, Guido Beni, Titian, and Giulio Romano; the Doria, with a representation of St. George and the Dragon over the doorway. Besides the university, there is a merchant-marine school, a Catholic high school, an academy of fine arts, and other institutions of a similar nature. Councils were held at Genoa in 773 (?), 121.6, and 1292. Innocent IV., and Adrian V., were natives of the city. It has 200 parishes and 470,000 souls (161,000 in the city); there are 33 religious houses for men in the city, and 19 throughout the diocese also 62 convents for women in the city, and 82 throughout the diocese. The archdiocese supports two Catholic daily newspapers, three weekly papers, and thirteen other periodicals. BOLOGNA: THE HOLY FATHER’S ARCHIEPISCOPAL SEE. Bologna, over whose archdiocese the Holy Father ruled for seven fruitful years, is the principal city in the province of the same name, and contains about 150,000 inhabitants. Like most of the Italian cities, it is remarkable for its architecture, both sacred and profane. Chief among the sacred edifices

THE LEANING TOWERS OF BOLOGNA. More curious and daring even than the leaning tower of Pisa. Both are over eight' hundred years old., The Torre Asinelli is 320 feet highland has a staircase leading 'to the summit. The Torre' Garisenda, built a year later, is more out of the perpendicular, but only half the height. Both were built for strongholds in civil war, and present almost unbroken stretches of solid brick.

of Bologna is the cathedral, dedicated to St. Peter and erected by the* commune in 910 to replace the ancient cathedral which stood outside the city walls Destroyed by fire in 1130, it was rebuilt in 1165; in its present form it dates from 1605, according to plans drawn up by Magenta, a Barnabite. The facade, however, was designed by Alf. Torreggiani, who also added the first two chapels to the church. The majority of the paintings are by famous masters, as, for instance, Ventura da Bologna, Ercole Graziani, Francesco Tadolini, Onofrio Zanotti, del Bagnacavallo (Bartolommeo Ramenghi), Ludovico Caracci, and others. There is also a lower church with five altars. Worthy of note is a crucifix of cedar wood dating from the time of the old cathedral. The church of San Petronio, dedicated to the patron of the city, was built by order of the Secento, at public expense, in 1390. A competition was announced for the plans, and among all the designs the preference was given those of Antonio Vincenzi, while the supervision of the work of erection was entrusted to Andrea Manfredi da Faenza. However, the original drawings, providing for an octagonal dome 500 feet high were not adhered to. The facade still remains incomplete, only the lower part being covered with sculptures in marble. The ornamentation of the larger door is the work of Pietro della Ponte ; manjr of the figures compare favorably with the works of an age in which the art was more highly developed. In the architrave is the Madonna and Child. The two naves are adorned with statues of Sts. Petronius and Ambrose. The carving of the doors was done by Sigismondo Bargelloso, aided by Andrea Magnani, and Gabriele di Zaccaria. The two side doors are also adorned with magnificent carvings, the work of other artists. It is a three-naved church, the twenty-three chapels being adorned with the masterpieces of distinguished artists of different ages. Worthy of note is the statue of St. Anthony of Padua by Sansovino. A sun-dial is to bo found there, likewise two clocks, among the first to be made in Italy with pendulums. In Bologna is also tho church of Corpus Domini, founded by St. Catherine de’ Vigri, commonly known as St. Catherine of Bologna, and adjoining it the monastery of the Poor Clares. In one of the chapels is preserved the mummified body of the saint, together with many objects used by her during life. There is also a beautiful church of St. Dominic, close by the Dominican convent in which the death of St. Dominic occurred. The tomb of the saint is in itself a veritable museum of works of art by the great masters. The casket was carved by Nicolo Pisano, and one of the angels was done by Michelangelo in his youth. The choir is beautifully inlaid with tinted wood, the work of Fra Damiano de Bergamo, a Dominican lay Brother. The church is cruciform, and in one chapel of the cross is the tomb of King Ezzelino ; in another that of Guido Beni. Among the many other churches, all rich in monuments, mention will bo made only of San Stefano, made up of a group of chapels once used by ancient monks from Egypt, who dwelt there before the time of St. Benedict. The site later passed into the hands of the Benedictines, who erected there a monastery, which in 1447 was reduced to the rank of an abbey to be held in commendam. In 1493 the Celestines took possession, and remained there until 1797. A tablet found there proves that this was once the site of a temple of Isis. Among the different chapels should be mentioned Calvary, or of the Holy Sepulchre ; it is octagonal in form, and contains a replica in marble of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. Here was probably situated the baptistery of the ancient cathedral, which was not far distant. The chapels of San GiacoUio Maggiore, built in 1267 ; San Giovanni in Monte, said to have been erected by St, Petronius and renovated in 1221 and 1824 ; San Isaia the most ancient Santa Maria di Galliera; Santa Maria dei Servi ; San Martino; San Paolo ; and San Francesco, still incomplete-all rich in monuments of artistic and historic interest. Outside Bologna is situated the celebrated Certosa, built in 1334, and in 1802 converted into a community burying-ground. The church attached to the convent is dedicated to St. Jerome,

On the Monte della Guardia is the shrine of the Madonna di San Luca, which is connected with the Saragossa Gate by a portico with 635 arches 11,483 feet (2.17 miles) in length, constructed between 1661 and 1739. The shrine takes its name from a painting of the Madonna attributed to St. Luke, which was brought here in 1160 by Eutymius, a monk of Constantinople. (The present church dates from 1731. With respect to profane architecture, the first things to bo remarked are the porticoes, in which nearly all the roads terminate. Noteworthy also are the towers, particularly that of the Asinelli, 320 feet in height, erected between 1105 and 1109, and, nearby, that of the Garisendi, built in 1110, the inclination of which, it seems, was due to a subsidence of the earth, in the fourteenth century, which carried away the uppermost part of the tower; it is 154 feet in height, and has an inclination of 7.77 feet. First among the palaces is that of the Podesta, a structure dating back to 801, where the conclave for the nomination of John XXIII. was held in 1410; next in importance are the communal palace; the civic museum, and the Archiginnasio, or ancient university. The archdiocese of Bologna contains 389 parishes, 1172 churches, chapels, and oratories, 837 secular priests, 119 regular, 311 seminarians, 48 lay brothers, 521 sisters, 10 schools for boys, 21 for girls, and a population of 565,489. THE GREAT UNIVERSITY. The University of Bologna is one of the oldest and most famous in the world and is a standing witness to the encouragement which the Church and the Popes have ever given to the highest branches of learning and science. A tradition of the thirteenth century attributed the foundation of this university to Thebdosius 11. (433) but this legend is now generally rejected. The university, in fact, developed out of the ‘ Schools of the Liberal Arts ’ which flourished at Bologna early in the eleventh century. An important feature of the > general education given in these schools was the JJictamen, or Art of Composition, which included rules for drawing up briefs and other legal documents. The study of grammar and rhetoric was closely connected with the study of law. At the same time, the political, commercial, and intellectual growth of the Lombard cities created a demand for legal instruction. Ravenna, long the home of jurisprudence, lost its prestige through its conflict with the papacy, and Bologna was its successor. The fame of its professors drew to Bologna students from all parts of Italy, and from nearly every country of- Europe. It is said that their number at the beginning of the thirteenth century was 10,000. The development of the law schools at Bologna had as one result the reduction of the Liberal Arts to a position of secondary importance. On the other hand, two factors in the situation favored the Arts and made possible a new growth in the university, namely, the restoration of the Aristotelean philosophy and the introduction of mathematics from the Arabian schools. The physics and physiology of Aristotle formed the basis of the study of medicine,, while mathematics opened the way to astrology, and eventually to astronomy. Among the physicians of note in Bologna were a number of ecclesiastics, one of whom, Nicolaus de Farnham, became (1241) Bishop of Durham. But there was no regularly organised school of medicine until Thaddeus of Florence began his teaching about 1260. From that time onward the medical faculty grew in importance. Surgery received special attention; dissection was practised, and the foundations of modern anatomy were, laid by Mundinus (1275-1326). Closely allied with the work in medicine was the study of astrology. A famous astrologist, Cecco d'Ascoli (d. 1327), declared that a physician without astrology would be like an eye ’ without the power of vision. The scientific study of astronomy was founded by the investigations of Nbvara and his disciple Copernicus (1473-1543). Both medical and mathematical studies were influenced ‘ by Arabian scholarship, in particular by that of Avicenna and Averroes. As these were also philosophers, their theories came to be part of the Scholasticism of Bologna, and their authority was scarcely inferior to that of Aristotle.,

Theology had long been taught in the monastic schools; but the faculty of theology in the university was established by Innocent .VI., in 1360. Its chancellor was the Bishop of Bologna, and its doctors depended upon him rather than upon the student body. The faculty received many privileges from Urban V., Boniface IX,, and their successors. The Popes, in fact, favored the university in every possible way. Gregory IX., and Boniface VIII. sent it the Decretals; Benedict XIV., various bulls and encyclicals. Among its benefactors were Martin V., Eugene IV, Nicholas V., Paul 11., Innocent VIII., Paul 111., Pius IV., Clement VIII., Urban VIII., Innocent X., Clement XII. Gregory XI. founded (1372), in connection with the university, the Collegium Gregor ianum for poor students of medicine and philosophy. Other colleges with similar scope were established by laymen and ecclesiastics. One of the most important was the College of Spain (Casa Spagnuola, or Collegia Maggiore ), which owed its existence and endowment to Cardinal Albornoz (1364). The papal legates at Bologna took an active part in the direction of the university and eventually became the supreme authority. In the course of time, also,.the student body lost its control, and the various schools were consolidated in one university organisation. In the development of modern literature and science Bologna took an important part. The famous Cardinal Vessarion, a leader in the Renaissance movement, was legate from 1451 to 1455. Under his influence classical studies flourished' in the university, and Humanists like Filelfo (1398-1481) and Guarino were among its professors. To these should be added, in more recent - times, the great Mezzofanti (1774-1849). In the natural sciences, especially, Bologna points to a long list of distinguished men: the anatomists Achillini (1463-1512), Vesalius (1514-64), Varoli (1542-75), and Malpighi (1628-94), the botanist Aldrovandi (1522-1607), and the physicist Galvani (1737-98) are among the most illustrious. The number of women who taught at Bologna is also remarkable, including Novella, daughter of Joannes Andrea the jurist, Laura Bassi (1711-78), and Maria Agnesi (1718-99), mathematicians, and Clotilda Tambroni (1758-1817), professor of Greek. During the Napoleonic wars, the university suffered considerably; chairs were suppressed, and the existence of the entire university was often endangered. The Popes, in particular Leo XII., came to its assistance, reorganised the faculties, and provided generously for the continuation of scientific work. Their control, however, ceased when the Papal States were merged in the present Kingdom of Italy. The university now comprises the faculties of philosophy and letters, mathematics and science, law, and medicine, with schools of pharmacy, argiculture, and engineering. The professors and instructors number 190; the students, 1800. The library, founded in 1605 by Aldrovandi, contains 250,000 volumes. One of the most important) institutes connected with the university is the Academy of Science, established in 1690 by the generous Count Marsigli, and reorganised by Pius VIII. in 1829.