Untitled - Rore Sanctifica

The Difficulties of Re-union. 115
to shadow forth what I am now anticipating
as likely to arise from the troubles which sur
round the Primatial See.
That prophecy foretells the characters and
fortunes of the later Popes by assigning a
motto to each, a inotto which expresses, or is
supposed to express, some striking trait in that
character, or those fortunes. Whatever may
have been the value of others, the motto given to
the present Pope is most strikingly applicable. It
is "Crux de Cruce"
"
a cross from the Cross."
His troubles have indeed arisen from his position
in the Church. If Mastai Ferretti had been
only an elected temporal Prince, he might have
been King of Italy ; but he believed himself to
be the Vicar of Jesus Christ, and as such he
could not remove his neighbour s landmark; nor
could he take part with infidels, blasphemers,
and robbers of churches even to work out his
country s good ; and so he could neither lead
nor follow in the political troubles that have
marked his reion. Then a;ain he was Defender
~ CJ
of the Faith, and as such he could not permit
that
religious licence within his dominions
which in these is days held to be, and indeed
may be, necessary to liberty. Thus not only
could he not rule over united Italy, which men,
in the days of his popularity, had dreamed he
might have done, but he lost much even of his
own dominions, and will probably lose all. Hence
i 2