Salt Lake Tribune | 1902-12-25 | Page 11 | Leo's Age and Reign

LEOS AGE AND REIGN On November Ith the Popo had occupied occu-pied tho chair of St Peter longer than any ono except Plus IX It IB a fact which speaks for the Increased healthful nc S of nome that of the 252 Popes those who have reigned longest should be the two lust Plus IX who was Pontiff for thlrtyono years and seven monthj and Lx > o XIII who ban up to the present held his great office for twentyfour years I eight months and fourteen days Before today tho second IlIac which now ho longs to the existing Popo wan held by I Iho unfortunhte Plus VI who died In ox lie at Valence on tho Rhone in 17iO By oomo writers St Paler Is nahl to have been bishop of Rome for twentyfive years and I this belief wan tho origin of the famous mediaeval Baying addressed to a new Pope on his election Thou nhalt not sco tho years of St Peter But Plus IX I signally faLilfled the truth of tho maxim and there la every reason to bcllcvo that his successor too will complete lua twen tyllffh year of office In point of ape Leo xni Is third oC tho Pontiffs lila K years havlnrr been surpassed by St AgRthUB who died In 6S2 at the ago of 107 and bj Gregory IX whoso death occurred I I In 12U at tho ago of 07 London Chronicle I