Posted on 02/02/2009 6:39:40 PM PST by rogernz
THE CATHOLIC KNIGHT: One of the most overlooked facts of the American Civil War Era is the sympathy the South gained from Europe's most influential monarch - the pope of Rome.
Pope Pius IX never actually signed any kind of alliance or 'statement of support' with the Confederate States of America, but to those who understand the nuance of papal protocol, what he did do was quite astonishing. He acknowledged President Jefferson Davis as the "Honorable President of the Confederate States of America."
From this we can glean three things about Pope Pius IX...
1. He considered Jefferson Davis worthy of the customary title "Honorable."
2. He acknowledged him as president of a nation.
3. In doing so, he officially recognized the Confederate States of America as a sovereign entity, separate from the United States of America.
In the letter in which this recognition was made, he sent an autographed picture of himself, along with a miniature crown of thorns, woven by the pope's own fingers. The crown is currently on display at the Confederate Museum in New Orleans. Upon viewing the crown, one can't imagine how the pope could have woven it without pricking his hands and finders several times. The gesture was an act of supreme sympathy, for you see President Davis was awaiting trial in a Union prison at the time this crown was made.
There are many possible reasons why this pontiff would be sympathetic to the CSA and her president, but the most likely one was that Pope Pius IX recognized in the culture and ideology of the South a mindset opposed to the advance of liberal modernism. You see it was Pius IX who composed the famous "Syllabus of Errors," which condemned the modernist philosophies of liberalism, humanism, secularism and marxism. It is speculated that Pius IX saw in the Confederacy a political movement steeped in European Christian tradition, and therefore a potential ally against liberal modernism on the North American continent. Alas, the Confederacy was defeated, and President Davis was captured. As the 'Deconstruction' of the South commenced, and Davis awaited his trial, it is understandable why the pope would be sympathetic.
Pope Pius IX was a revered figure in the post war South. General Robert E. Lee kept a portrait of him in his house, and referred to him as the South's only true friend during her time of need. Both Davis and Lee were Episcopalians, a denomination which had many things in common with Catholicism before the 20th century influence of modernism of course. Davis was frequently visited by Southern Catholic nuns during his imprisonment, who delivered messages for him and prayed for his release. He eventually was released, having never stood trial, on the grounds that he committed no real crime. It is believed the majority of justices on the U.S. Supreme Court at that time acknowledged the right of secession.
Southern Americans of today should take comfort knowing that the old Confederacy did have a European friend, and it just happened to be one of the most respected people in the world - not only a head of state, but also the leader of the world's largest Christian religion. The day will come when Pope Pius IX will be canonized as a Saint. He has already been beatified, which puts him well on his way. When that day comes, Southerners will have a special bragging right, not enjoyed by many nations even today. They will not only be able to boast of his sympathies during and after the great War, but they will also have in their collective possession a relic of the man - the crown of thorns woven by his own hands.
There is a street named for Pope Pius IX in Macon, GA, under the Italian version of his name--Pio Nono.
The Pope should have kept his nose out of our affairs.
Coming in on the pro slavery side would hardly become
the successor to Peter and representative to our Lord on earth.
I guess Pius didn't read the Confederate vice president's defense of slavery and the Confederacy which made reference to social-Darwinist modern pseudo-scientific justification for the institution of slavery.
you are mistaken, the pope supported the south not lincoln.
Maybe the French should have kept their nose out of our affairs in the Revolution period too?
Source: King, Rufus. "Letter to William H. Seward, 11 May 1864." United States Ministers to the Papal States, Volume I. Ed. L.F. Stock. Washington, D.C.: Catholic University Press, 1933. 295.
The revolution was American versus Europeans. Two different nations. The Civil War was Americans versus Americans in a fight amongst ourselves. It was despicable for the Confederacy to court intervention from Europe against their countrymen. The founding patriots had enough trouble evicting them the 1sy time.
Yes I know - are you asserting that Lincoln was not the
president of the US and in opposition to the Confederacy?
There are some conspiracy theorists who believe Opus Dei was involved with the Lincoln assassination.
Hmmmm. Really? I doubt the case could be made.
I wonder if the Pope really knew what was going on. Popes have usually considered the U.S. a kind of backwater. I wonder if Pope Pius IX really had any clue what was going on here.
Didn’t the North recognize him as the President of the Confederacy too? What history book did I miss?
whats up with your anger towards the south and catholics?
the secession of the south was legitimate and the pope merely sent some kind words to the south...
How did they do that, when they didn’t even exist until 1928?
The North only recognized him when he worse a sash that said, “president.” Otherwise, they couldn’t tell the difference between Southerners.
no, I am asserting Lincoln was pro-slavery. did he not personally keep slaves before and after the war?
No, he did not. Lincoln never owned a slave in his life.
the secession of the south was legitimate and the pope merely sent some kind words to the south...
I'm a southerner whose family has been in the south many generations and that's why I've got no use for the Confederacy. They did much evil to my part of the world. It helps to realize that the South is not the Confederacy and vice-versa. I think a lot of southerners get them mixed up.
I don't think there was anything legit about the the secession, not constitutionally, nor in the hasty rabble-rousing by which it was promoted and not in the political dirty tricks resorted to when all else failed. It proved its illegitimacy when it failed to sustain itself in the trial by fire.
Why is it hatred of Catholics to suggest that Pius had a misconception about the CSA?
dixie ping
I just report conspiracy theories. I don’t attest to the accuracy of such theories.
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