extending their branches to even the most remote regions-all existing with the sanction, and subject to the supreme control, of the Successor of Saint Peterall having their governing heads in or near Rome.

On the whole, even in the condensed particulars of the Hierarchy, above given, we have a most interesting illustration of the Catholicity of the Church, and of her marvellous organization in all parts of the globe.1

1 The following are the additions made to the Hierarchy by His Holiness Leo XIII., from his accession down to March 1885::

CHAPTER XXXVI.

ANCIENT PAPAL ELECTIONS.

ORIGINALLY the election of a Pope was made by the clergy and people of Rome-the clergy actually nominating or presenting the Pontiff, and their choice being supported by the assent and acclamation of the people, and confirmed by the neighbouring bishops. It is described as follows by a cotemporary, Saint Cyprian, speaking of the election of Cornelius, in succession to Pope Fabian, in the year 251: "Cornelius was made Bishop by the judgment of God and of His Christ, by the testimony of almost all the clergy, by the suffrage of the people then present, by the college of the elder priests and of good men, when no one had been elected before him, when the place of Fabian, that is, when the place of Peter, and the grade of the Sacerdotal Chair was vacant." 1

In this manner, the elections were held, until the conversion of Constantine, in the early part of the fourth century; and thenceforward the same mode of proceeding was followed for a long period. But, as the Christian Emperors were deeply interested in the result, they began, in the course of time, to exercise more or less influence in the election; and eventually, with the concurrence of the Pontiffs, they had a voice in the matter, at least as far as the confirmation or approval thereof.2

1 Cyprian, "Epistolæ," Ep. 52, ad Antonianum, A.D. 251.

2 Justinian and the other Emperors, who succeeded him, demanded a sum of money for confirming the Papal elections. Constantine Pogonatus and Pope Saint Agatho united in liberating the Church from this tribute, A.D. 681.

However objectionable the system of Imperial confirmation or approval may seem, in principle, it appears to have operated beneficially in many an instance, in guarding the proceedings from foreign interference and domestic intrigue and violence. That such was its intent, is evident from the clauses in the Diplomas of the Emperors, Louis le Debonnaire, Otho, and Saint Henry, implying at least the condition of Imperial approval. Louis, in his diploma, in the year 817, made stringent provisions against any of the subjects of the Empire in any way interfering with the Romans, on a vacancy occurring in the Holy See; so that the funeral obsequies of the deceased Pontiff "might be conducted with all honour and without any disturbance, and that he whom, by Divine inspiration and the intercession of Blessed Peter, all the Romans, with one counsel and concord, without any promise, should elect to the order of the Pontificate might be consecrated without ambiguity or contradiction, in the usual manner." Next, it was provided, that, on the consecration taking place, legates should be sent to Louis, or to his successors, the Kings of the Franks, to establish between the Pope and the Emperor relations of friendship, love, and peace, as was customary in the days, of pious memory, of his great-grandfather Charles Martel, his grandfather Pepin and again of his father Charles the Emperor.1

Seven years later, A.D. 824, when Louis sent his son Lothaire, then associated with him in the Empire, to Rome, to put an end to the troubles caused by the opposition of Zizinius, the Antipope, to Pope Eugenius II.,2 Lothaire, with the Pope's full assent, made an enactment, with a view to preventing the recurrence of such evils, that the consecration of a Pope should

1 Theiner, "Codex Diplomaticus Dominii Temporalis S. Sedis," tom. i., pp. 2, 3, 4; Baronius, "Annales," ix. 670; Cenni, "Esame del Diploma di Ludovico Pio," parte prima.

Eugenius II., a Roman, governed the Church, A.D. 824-827.

thenceforward take place in the presence of the Emperor or his envoys.1

Again, in their respective diplomas, the Emperors, Otho I. A.D. 962, and Henry II. A.D. 1020, each with the concurrence of the reigning Pontiff, inserted the following clause: "Saving in all things our power and that of our successors, according to what is contained in the pact and constitution and firm promise of Pope Eugenius, and of his successors, that all the clergy and all the nobility of the Roman people, for various urgent causes, and in order to mitigate unreasonable severity on the part of Pontiffs towards the people subject to them, bind themselves by oath, so far forth as that the future election of Pontiffs, according to each one's discernment, may be canonically and justly conducted : 2 and that no one will consent to the consecration of him who may be chosen to this high and Apostolic government, until he make, in presence of our envoys or of the whole public, such a promise for the satisfaction and future conservation of all, as our lord, and venerable spiritual father, Leo, is known to have made, of his own free accord." s

Pope Leo IV., here alluded to, governed the Church A.D. 847-855. This Pontiff, as well as his immediate. predecessor, Sergius II., had, through fear of disturbances, been consecrated without time being allowed to communicate with the Imperial court. Leo's "pact," or promise, appears to have been to the effect, that he would, as far as possible, take measures to insure, that

1 Sigonius and other authorities are of opinion that this enactment was made by Eugenius himself: "Eugenium nempe ipsum, Lothario Romæ existente, statuisse ut consecrationi Romani Pontificis legati Imperiales interessent."

2 The original words of this passage in the constitution of Pope Eugenius II. are here set forth, as follow: "Ut omnis clerus et universa populi Romani nobilitas, propter diversas necessitates et Pontificum irrationabiles erga populum sibi subjectum asperitates retundendas, sacramento se obligent, quatenus futura Pontificum electio (quantum uniuscujusque intellectus fuerit) canonice et juste fiat."

3 Cenni, "Esame de' Diplomi d'Ottone e S. Arrigo," parte terza.

on his decease, the election and consecration of his successor should be duly and canonically conducted in the presence of the Imperial envoys.1

With the same intent, it was enacted, in the Council of Rome, held by John IX., A.D. 898, canon x., that, on the death of a pope, in order to protect the Church from the violence of faction, the new pontiff should be elected by the assembled bishops and universal clergy, the senate and people being present, and that the Elect should be consecrated in the presence of the Imperial legates.

Wholly irrespective of the weighty spiritual interests involved-of the things necessary to the headship of the Universal Church, it was felt to be of the utmost consequence to the temporal subjects of the Popes, that the elections to the Pontifical throne should be "justly and canonically conducted;" for thus only could they be assured of having wise and paternal rulers. It was also a matter of vital importance to the entire commonwealth of Christian nations, over whose temporal as well as spiritual affairs the Pope at that period, by common consent, exercised paramount control. Therefore it was, that the clauses just recited were inserted in the Imperial diplomas; and this, with the full assent of the Pontiffs. Moreover, any interference whatever, by any of the subjects of the Empire or others, with the free election of Pontiffs by the clergy, nobility, and people of Rome, was most strictly prohibited. Should such interference nevertheless be attempted, the Emperors bound themselves to repress it by all means in their power, punishing the offenders by exile or death.2 As the Empire declined, however, it sometimes

1 This is clear from the Pontiff's own letter to the Emperors Lothaire and Louis; viz. "Leonis PP. IV., Epistola ad Imperatores Lotharium et Ludovicum;" apud Gratianum, Decretales, 63, c. 31. "Inter nos et vos pacti serie statutum est et confirmatum, quod electio et consecratio futuri Romani Pontificis nonnisi juste et canonice fieri debeat."

2 Cenni, as supra. Theiner, "Codex Diplomaticus," etc., tom. i. pp. 4-8; Baronius, "Annales," in locis.