The Pope’s Wealth and Peter’s Poverty
The New York “Journal” tells us that Pope Leo XIII. has amassed during his pontificate $20,000,000, including presents of precious stones, gold and silver, to the value of $10,000,000. President Kruger, of the Transvaal Republic, has presented the pope with the largest diamond in the world. It is valued at $4,000,000. Other famous diamonds are the Nizam, which is estimated at $1,500,000. The Orloff, belonging to the czar, which weighs 194¾ carats, is about the same. The Koh-i-noor, the principal crown jewel of England, is worth $1,600,000. The Pigott, which was sold by the lottery for $139,500, became the property of the pasha of Egypt. The second largest diamond in the world is the Jagersfontein Excelsior, a chip of which sold for $200,000. But of the pope’s wealth, better the poverty of Peter and the jewels of souls saved in the kingdom of God.