ROME

New Zealand Tablet, 11 January 1917, Page 47

ROME

CENTENARY OF PONTIFICAL GENDARMES. Just one hundred years of age the Pontifical Gendarmes of the Vatican counted yesterday when they presented themselves before Benedict XV. ; in the ‘ Sala del'Trono’ to mark the centenary of the existence of the famous corps (writes a Rome correspondent, under date October 23). By their commandant, Count Ceccopieri, an address was read to the Holy Father, expressing the undying fidelity of the men to the Church and to the successor of St. Peter, and giving a brief history of the corps since October 22, 1816, when Cardinal Gonsalvi, Secretary of State to Pius VII., sent forth the edict that called it into existence. The oath of fidelity was then renewed by the officers and men, and the Holy Father rose to speak.. His Holiness reminded the corps it had been formed to keep order in the Papal States, but that though for the last 46 years it had only the Vatican and St. Peter's as a field for their/activities, it had acquired a more intimate, life by

living under the same roof as that of the Pope. For their / 'services and : loyalty lie had nothing but warns" -; praise; and to show the officers and men his apprecia- ;; tion of them he announced that a] special medal ‘ Virtuti et Fidei ’ was to be struck in commemoration of their centenary. ■ This medal .will be distributed to ■: them, and it will count for one year]. service in i; the ' ranks. How truly Benedict XV. might call these soldiers part of the ‘ Famiglia Pontificia ’ may be gathered from /the-- fact that ’Lieutenant". Vanzi’s father held the same rank in the Pontifical Gendarmes £0 years ago :as 4 * .. .•„ .... , . T .-■ m 'J . .v. v--' o - ..- v-; the son does to-day. And his grandfather:; held the ; rank of marshal in the Papal f Carabineers over a hundred years ago. During the day the Pontifical ' Geri- - • darmes wore gala uniform, and -in the evening their .band- executed an elaborate musical programme in the U Court of St. Damasus. : ; - V: ' ----- ','ve .' ' "-p* Vi AN ACCOUNT IN ITALIAN OF THE IRISH INSURRECTION. An account of the events connected with the recent/ insurrection in Ireland is given in a pamphlet. published % in Italian circulated in Rome.. It is said the Pope and the Cardinals have received/copies (writes a' Rome'correspondent). The pamphlet consists for the most part; of facts taken from the daily newspapers'issued in Lori'-': don and Dublin, and of the letters which passed between the Right Rev. Dr. O’Dwyer, Dishop of Limerick, and % Sir John Maxwell, commander of the troops in Ireland,: fconcerning two priests of his Lordship’s diocese. There is nothing in the pamphlet which any fair-minded Eng-3 lishman might not have written; indeed, the details# must have passed the Censor in England and in Ireland several times. It may be added that Romans perusing;/ this narrative made up of cuttings from the English arid Irish daily press are not a little astonished when they recall the character of the telegrams sent from London and-Dublin to the Socialist and Masonic papers• in Rome during the progress of the rebellion. - THE SACRED TRIBUNAL OF THE ROTA. - With the audience given at this time every year by 'r ' the Holy Father to the Sacred Tribunal of the Rota, the juridical year commences in Rome (writes the Rome correspondent of the ' Catholic Times, under date October 27). On the 15th inst. the Auditors and Advocates ? attached to this tribunal, after attending the Mass of , the Holy Ghost, celebrated in the Pauline Chapel, of the r Vatican by the Right Rev. Mgr. Zampiuij Titular Bishop of Porfireone and Sacristan to his Holiness, ‘ repaired to the presence of the Pope. With their adjutants of study and the various ecclesiastical J and lay advocates on the Rota were the.various Auditors, including Mgr. Prior. After listening to a brief address read by Mgr. Sebastianelli, the Doyen, in . which a synopsis; was given of-the programme gone through during the past year by the Sacred Tribunal of the Rota, the Holy; Father expressed his approval of the work done. Speaking of the future year, his Holiness said' in • connection with the war: • Unfortunately the auspices are nothappy, and when one scans the horizon it appears dense- . with clouds, and legions of armed men and signs of blood are visible. Nevertheless our mind must be confident in divine help, and we must hope that the rainbow of peace will dispel the darkness.’ . -