Rome, See and Church of

Abstract

For many ages until Pius IX.’s reign, with some comparatively short breaks, the Popes or Roman Pontiffs bore temporal sway over a territory stretching across Mid-Italy from sea to sea and comprising an area of some 16,000 square miles, with a population finally of some 3,125,000 souls. Of this dominion the whole has been incorporated piecemeal with the Italian Kingdom (viz., Romagna, Umbria, and the Marches in 1860, and the residue, including Rome itself, in 1870).¹ Furthermore, by an Italian law dated May 13, 1871, there was guaranteed to His Holiness and his successors forever, besides possession of the Vatican and Lateran palaces and the villa of Castel Gandolfo, a yearly income of 3,225,000 lire or 129,000l., which allowance (whose arrears would in 1915 amount to 145,125,000 lire, or 5,805,000l., without interest) still remains unclaimed and unpaid.