Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 9.djvu/202

 had been settled on before the school question Id 1885 the new Cfttholic Government restored it. During Pope Leo's pontificate the condition of the Church in Switiertand improved somewhat, eapeeially in the Tioino, in Aargau and in Basle. In Russia. 3oloviev'a attempt on Alexander II {14 April, 1879) and the silver jubilee of that csar'a reign (18.S0) gave the pope an opportunity to attempt a rapprochement. But itwaanotuntilafterAlcianderincame to the throne (1883) that an agreement was reached, by which a few episcopal sees were tolerated and some of the more stringent kws against the CathoJic clergy slightly re- laxed. But when, in 1884, Leo consented to present to the cxar a petition from the Ruthenian Cathdics against the oppression they had to suffer, the persecu- tion only increased in bitter- ness. In the last year of Alexander III (May, 1S94) diplomatic relations were re- established. On the day of hia election, Leo had ex- pressed to this emperor the wish to see diplomatic rela- tions icstored,; Alexander, like William, though more warm- ly, answered in a non-com- mittal manner. Intbemean- time Leo was careful to exhort the Poles under Russian dom- ination to be loyal Hubjecta.

Among the acts of Leo XIII that affected in a par- ticular way the English- speakiuE world may be mentioned: for England, the elevation of John Henry Newman to the cardinalate (1879), the •' Romanoe Ponti- fices" of 1881 concerning the relations of the hierarchy and the regular clerKV, the beati- fication (1886) offifty English martyrs, the celebration of die thirteenth centenary of St. Gregory the Great, Apos- tle of England (1891), the Encyclicals "Ad Anglos " of 1395, on the return to Catholic unity, and the "Apostolicee Cune<.' of 1806, on the non-validity of the Anglican orders. He restored the Scotch hici^ archy in 1878, and in 1898 addressed to the Scotch a very touching letter. In English India Pope I*o es- tablished the hierarchy in 188C, and regulated there long-atanding conflicts with the Portuguese authori- ties. In 1903 King Edward VII paid him a visit at the Vatican. The Irish Church experienced his pastoral solicitude on many occasions. His letter io Arch- bishop McCabe of Dublin (1881), the elevation of the same prelate to the cardinalate in 1882, the calling of the Insh bishops to Rome in 1885, the decree of the Holy Office (13 April, 1888) on the plan of campaign and boycotting, and the subsequent Encyclical of 24 June, ISSS, to the Irish hierarchy represent in part his fatherly concern tor the Irish people, however diverse the feelings they aroused at the height of the land agitation.

The United States at all times attracted the atten- tion and admii«tion of Pope l,co. He confirmed the decrees of the Third Plenary Council of Baltimore (ISM), and raised to the cardinalate Archbishop Gil)- honsof that city (1886). His favourable action (1888), at the instance of Cardinal Gibbons, towards the Knights of Labour won him general approval. In 18S9 he sent a pf^al del^ate, MouEignor Satolli, to represent him at Washington on the occasion of the

n Lzo

The Apostolic Delegation at Washington was founded in 18^; in the same year amieared nis Encyclical on Christopher Columbus. In 1893 he participated in the Chicago Exposition held to commemorate the fourth centenary of the discovery of America; this he did by the loan of \«Iuable relics, and by sending Monsignor Satolli to represent him. In 1895 he addressed to the hierarchy of the United Slates his memorable Encyo- lical "Longinqua Oceaoi Spatia"; in 1898 appeared his letter '^Testem Benevolentife" to Cardinal Gib- bons on "Americanism"; and in 1902 his admirable letter to the American hierarchy in response to their congratulations on hia pontifical jubilee. In Canada he confirmed the aj|reement made with the Province of Quebec (1889) for the settlement of the Jesuit E»-

tat^ question, and

foundation of the Catholic University of America.

sent MoDsignor Merry del val to treat in his name with the Government con- cerning the obnoxious Mani- toba School Law. His name will alao long be held in bene- diction in ^uth America for the First Plenary Council of Latin America held at Rome (1899), and for his noble En- cyclical to the bishops of Brazil on the abolition of slavery (1888).

In Portugal the Govern- ment ceased to support the Goan schism, and m 1886 a concordat was drawn up. Concordats with Montenegro (1886) and Cobmbia (1887) followed. The Sultan of Tu> key, the Shah of Persia, the Emperors of Japan and of China (1885), andtheN^:ua of Abyssinia, Menelik', sent him royal gifts and received gifts from him in return. His charitable intervention with the negus in favour of the Italians taken prisoners at the unlucky battle of Adna (1898) failed owing to the attitude taken by those who ought to have been moat grateful. He was not succ^aful in establishing diieot diplomatic relations with the Sublime Porte and wiUt China, owing to the jealousy of France and her fear of losing the protectorate over Christians. During the negotiationsconcemingchurchpropcrty in the ralip- pines, Mr. Taft, Uter President of the United Stat^ had an opportunity of admiring the pope's great qual- ities, as he himself declared on a memorable occasion. With regard to the Kingdom of Italy, Leo XIII maintained Pius IX's attitude of protest, thus con- firming the ideas he had expressed in his pastoral of 1860. He desired complete independence for the Holy See, and consequently its restoration as a real sove- reigntj*. Repeatedly, when distressing incidents took place m Rome, he sent notes to the varioua govem- menta pointing out the intolerable position in which the Holy See was placed through its subjection to a hostile power. For the same reason he upheld the " Non cxpedit", or prohibition against Italian Cath- olics taking part in political elections. His idea was that once the Catholics abstained from voting, the subversive elements in the country would get the upper hand and the Italian Government be obliged to come to terms with the Holy See. Events proved he was mistaken, and the idea was abandoned by Pius X. At one time, however, "of^cioua" negotiations wen kept up between the Holy Soe and the Italian Gov- ernment through the agency of Monsignor Carini, Prefect of the Vatican Libnuy and a great friend of