bled cardinals, who congratulated him on his elevation to the Fisherman's throne. Then, after some little. delay, the bars of the great loggia on the façade of St. Peter's were let down; and there appeared before the populace waiting below, the dean of the Sacred College, Cardinal Caterini, who announced the election of the Pope by saying, "I announce to you great joy! We have as Pope, his Eminence the most reverend lord Joachim Pecci, who takes the name of Leo XIII." Up from the assembled multitudes, as soon as the announcement was made, rose loud shouts of joy and thanksgiving; the bells of St. Peter's rang out their most joyous chimes, and all over the city were heard. shouts of “Viva Papa Pecci, Leone XIII.!" Later on still, the gates of the loggia were again thrown open, and the newly chosen Pope made his appearance. The crowds below had been swelled by the accession of thousands who were not there when the cardinal dean announced the election; and their cheers rolled up like thundering waves to the loggia where the new Pope stood, ready to impart to them his first apostolic blessing. After quiet had been in a measure restored, the Pope, turning to the high altar, intoned the adjutorium; and, after a choir of myriad voices had answered with the antiphon, he raised his hand,—now decked with the Fisherman's ring, and blessed the multitudes below him, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Amen. After the benediction had been given, the Holy Father retired amid the acclamations of the populace; and, after the marshal had thrown open the closed doors of the conclave, he proceeded through the Sistine Chapel to the Hall of the Paramenti, where he received the persons who had been engaged in the exterior service of the conclave. Afterwards, vested in his pontifical robes, and accompanied by the officers of the conclave, he went to the Sistine Chapel to receive the homage of the cardinals. Then, the apostolic blessing having been again given, he retired to the Hall of the Paramenti, was disrobed of his vestments, and retired to his apartments. In the evening the following proclamation officially announced his election : "Since God Almighty has deigned to raise to the Papal throne his Holiness Leo XIII., it is ordered that the 'Te Deum laudamus' be sung, and the prayer which is found in the ritual under the title: 'Preces dicendæ in processione pro gratiarum actione' be recited, in the churches of the Holy City, without any exception, on the 22d of this month, at ten A.M. Moreover, all the bells of Rome shall be rung solemnly at the same time during the space of one hour. Finally we prescribe, that in thanksgiving for the exaltation of his Holiness Leo XIII., during the next three days, viz., the 22d, 23d, and 24th inst., the collect 'pro gratiarum actione' be added in every sacrifice of the mass. "Given in our residence, on this the 20th day of February, 1878. "RAPHAEL, Cardinal-Vicar. "CAN. PLACIDUS PETACCI, Secretary." On the 22d, after the Te Deum had been sung in the Sistine Chapel, the new Pope received the ambassadors of several of the European nations, the French representative securing the honor of being the first to be admitted; and from that day on, his Holiness was besieged with delegations from all parts of the world, who came to pay their homage to the Vicar of Christ and the successor of the glorious Pius IX. |