Chapter 708 The performance of Pius IX
Although the Austrian Empire escaped the disaster, the German Confederation suffered because almost no country in this era would spend money to develop a public health system.
However, the world began to become scary at some point. African locusts crossed the Mediterranean Sea and ate up Sicily.
Before Franz had time to feel sad, intelligence came that the locusts were heading north, as if they were rushing to attend the Pope's coronation ceremony.
Where hundreds of billions of desert locusts passed by, there was almost no grass growing. A large swarm of migratory locusts devoured an entire field within a few hours after landing.
There were no pesticides at that time, so we could only use the most primitive methods, smashing with shovels and burning with fire, but the effect was not very satisfactory or had almost no effect.
Since ancient times, people have always liked to ask immortals and Buddhas when faced with difficult or difficult-to-solve problems, and Europe is no exception.
A salute was fired from Castel Sant'Angelo, and Pius IX decided to take action himself. Amid the devout prayers of thousands of believers outside Castel Sant'Angelo, a group of cardinals in red robes walked out, their faces full of solemnity and solemnity.
A cardinal deacon began to sing the pope's hymn, and finally a man in white robes appeared. He wore a golden crown and a tight, bitter face to look more majestic.
However, Pius IX was too short after all, and the huge golden crown looked a bit funny on his head. Many people couldn't help but laugh when they saw the new pope acting like this, even the ambassadors of Austria, France and Spain, who were currently in conflict with the Papal States.
This made Pius IX feel that everyone liked him, and his brother Joe Tell, the new Holy See Secretary of State, also said.
"If someone cut my brother into a million pieces, from each piece a new priest would be born. No one would dislike him, he would be a true saint."
Pius IX raised his hands confidently and blessed the believers with a strong and clear voice.
"My blessings to you and your families!"
——
This is about two hours of formalistic performance--
After a series of red tape, the 54-year-old new pope was already out of breath. After all, it is not easy to wear such heavy clothes in such hot weather.
In fact, the holy garment of Pius IX was made of gold and silver threads and was not light in weight.
“Heavenly Father, you once said that when the poor and needy seek you, you will answer them. You are rich in mercy and grace, and you will not abandon them.
The locust disaster in southern Italy is serious and people's crops are disappearing. We ask for your help to drive away all the locusts.
You lift up the world as if it were a very small thing, and your power is inexhaustible. You sustain us by your almighty power and keep us alive.
More than three thousand years ago, you once blew the west wind and locusts left Egypt and were blown into the Red Sea. We also call on your name.
Please, because of your mercy."
Although this is nominally to pray to God to drive away the locust plague, in fact it is a political show. Because Pius IX specifically used the word "Italy", and this was undoubtedly a provocation to the Austrian Empire.
And he did not even spare France, Spain and Russia, and even insinuated that the Czar's expulsion of the Jews was the root cause of the locust plague.
If disobedience to the Pope, God's representative on earth, continues, disaster will come.
But let alone Russia, an Orthodox Christian country, the diplomats of Austria, France and Spain were not intimidated.
Not to mention that it was the Russians who committed the evil, so why was it the Apennine Peninsula that suffered?
And the Austrian Empire has been working hard to make people forget the word Italy and turn it into a geographical noun.
But at this time Pius IX specifically used the word "Italy", and the signal he sent would excite all Italian nationalists.
However, almost all cardinals are regretting it, because a series of crazy behaviors of Pius IX caused Austria, France, and Spain to stop bribing them.
Especially the Austrian Empire, which was the main enemy, Prince Metternich changed his previous attitude and asked the secret police to thoroughly investigate the properties of the bishops in the German Confederation.
As the Prime Minister of the Austrian Empire, Metternich did have this right. Even without Franz's reforms, Austria historically had a great influence in the German Confederation, and could even go directly to arrest people from universities in other countries.
In the eyes of the police, college students at that time were all hens that could lay golden eggs. Most of the former were inexperienced in the world, and generally speaking, their families were well off. After all, college tuition was not low at that time.
And no matter how impressive his background is, he cannot get away with it if he is associated with revolution and rebellion. As we all know, the German police and the British chef have always been the standard in hell.
The police of the German Confederacy may not be good at fighting crime, but they are definitely masters of extortion.
Especially those bishops who are usually sanctimonious. Who doesn't have a few mistresses and hundreds of pounds of gold at home?
If looks could kill, Pius IX would have been cut into pieces by the bishops.
The ambassadors of France and Spain are also very helpless. French Ambassador Pellegrino Rossi is 59 years old.
"I think our new pope is a little naive. He actually wants the French church to be loyal to him. Who does he think he is? Robespierre?"
Spanish Ambassador Hernando Fili was also helpless. Although he hated the priests in the country, if the Pope in front of him was to regain control of the Jesuits, it would be better to disband this illegal organization directly.
(In fact, the Society of Jesus was forcibly expelled and disbanded by many countries.)
After the execution of the king during the French Revolution, the French government did require the priests to re-loyalty to the country. Robespierre promulgated the "Civil Organization Law of the Priests" and also created a series of horrific tragedies.
But compared with the entire Jacobin reign of terror, the plight of the clergy is nothing to mention.
Hernando Fili sighed.
"Who knows? It feels like the whole world is not peaceful, with famine and war everywhere. The Pope in front of me is so special.
Looking at the attitude of the Austrians, I am afraid that in a few months the Austrian army will march directly into Rome and replace the pope. "
Historically, the Holy Roman Empire has interfered in the affairs of the Papal States many times over a long period of time, and its one-vote veto power on the election of the Pope is not enough because of piety.
French Ambassador Pellegrino Rossi: “I would rather have a fight between the Austrians and the Papal States, so that we would have reason to interfere in the affairs of the Papal States.
At the same time, Catholics around the world are called on to attack them. Moreover, this is not an internal matter of Germany. I think the German Confederation will not interfere in this matter. "
In fact, at this time, officials in France and Spain had a fantasy that one day in the future, the two countries could be united.
Most of the Spanish nobles spoke French, which was very common in the upper class at that time, so a change of owner in Spain would not have much impact on their interests.