without appearing fatigued or giving any sign that his bodily strength or
vigor of mind was failing him. Day after day, throughout the whole summer
of 1877, the faithful people ceased not to astonish the new masters of
Rome, who flattered themselves with the belief that faith was dead in the
world, and would no longer be an impediment to their domination. They
beheld pilgrims from every clime in vast numbers, of which they could form
no estimate. They also heard their voice, and wondered at their admirable
unanimity. "All of us, whoever we are, Christians of every nation and of
every tongue," said the Bishop of Poitiers, speaking in the name of his
fellow-Catholics, "we have all been brought here by the desire, the
necessity we are under, to offer our tribute of regret and love to the
venerated Pontiff, whom the whole world honors with all the veneration of
filial duty. After having placed at his feet our presents and our
respectful homage, we come to offer, in this sanctuary, our thanksgiving
and our prayers--our thanksgiving, for Pius IX. has been preserved to us
beyond the term of all preceding Pontificates--our prayers for his
remaining in this life is, at present, our only pledge of safety."(14)

On occasion of the memorable anniversary, Pius IX. proclaimed a jubilee,
and thus afforded to all his children throughout the universe an
opportunity of uniting with those of Rome in one common prayer and act of
thanksgiving. Numberless communions, in every Catholic land, on the very
day of the anniversary--3rd June--bore witness to the lively faith which
universally prevailed, and made it plain as noon-day to the unbelieving
that the body of the Church is united by the bond of charity, even as is
the family by the ties of blood. The power of such a celebration was
widely felt. And the revolutionists of Italy believed that something must
be done in order to counteract its influence. They could not propose, as
they had done six years before on occasion of the anniversary of Pius the
Ninth's exaltation to the Popedom, to display on all the public edifices
of Rome the flag of revolutionized Italy in fraternal union with that of
the Pontiff and the Church. It must, therefore, be unfurled in direct
opposition to the cause of the Holy Father. A festive commemoration of the
"constitutional statute" was ordered to be held on the 3rd June, the day
of the Papal celebration. The scheme proved to be more than a failure. It
was intende