A few days passed quickly, and in the blink of an eye, December 24th arrived. The evening of this day was Christmas Eve, the eve of Christmas.
For most Catholic countries, Christmas signifies the arrival of a new year, and the Papal States is certainly no exception; Christmas is officially established by the Holy See.
This was his first year in this world, and also his first year as Pope. Half a year had passed in a hurry, and Augustus couldn't help but sigh at the fleeting time, feeling a sense of urgency in his heart.
Recalling this year, after becoming Pope, he actually didn't do many things: he reduced taxes once, gained control of the Rome Newspaper, familiarized himself with the power structure of the Papal States, roughly understood the key figures at the center of power, deepened his understanding of his surroundings, improved the combat effectiveness and loyalty of the Swiss Guard, strengthened control over the Papal States through visits and identified several promising talents for future cultivation, and began to implement conscription and establish a sufficiently large and loyal standing army.
These were mostly not earth-shattering events, but they subtly influenced the Papal States and prepared for and provided assurance for everything to be done in the future.
It wasn't because of any constraints or unfulfilled desires, but rather that he never intended to do things too early, though it took much longer than expected. Overall, however, the progress of things was still satisfactory.
If he were to initiate drastic reforms without a firm footing, full strength, or a clear understanding of the situation, he would very likely destroy himself. The reasons for the downfall of Emperor Zhu Yunwen of the Great Ming were multifaceted, but acting too hastily was absolutely the most fatal one.
Lessons from the past serve as guides for the future. In an unfamiliar environment, he naturally wouldn't act recklessly. He had to ensure he had a sufficient understanding of the current situation, that what he was about to do was correct and feasible, and that he didn't completely detach from his ruling base. Furthermore, he needed to accumulate enough strength to cope with the obstruction and impact of internal and external opposition forces.
Therefore, everything Augustus had done before did not stand in opposition to anyone, but rather sought to win over as many people as possible. Even if it sometimes unavoidably infringed upon the interests of a small number of people, it was for the greater good and for everyone's benefit, and within acceptable limits, no one would suffer a loss for nothing.
Perhaps, in the eyes of some people currently, the Pope is diligent and loves his people, good at compromise, gentle and kind, peace-loving, and perhaps even a little timid and weak? It seems plausible that he expanded the army to protect himself precisely because he was timid and afraid of death.
As for whether, when, to whom, how, and what measures he would take in the future, only Augustus himself knew; others could only guess blindly.
On Christmas Eve, Augustus was not idle; as Pope, he had to deliver a speech and celebrate Mass. Augustus disliked such activities, avoiding non-essential ones whenever possible, but he still had to do what was necessary, as this was part of his rule.
In any era, ideological rule is far more powerful than other forms. Although Augustus did not believe he could truly win the hearts of the world in this way, having it was better than not having it. Since it was unavoidable, he might as well be optimistic; perhaps someone truly would devote themselves wholeheartedly after seeing him once?
The Pope's Christmas Eve address was considered a very sacred and solemn event by devout Catholics. To Augustus, it was quite ordinary, merely a broadcast of the imperial voice plus spiritual chicken soup plus an annual report; he had seen such things many times.
However, most people in this era might not even get to see it once in their lifetime, with some traveling long distances just for this. Considering he couldn't let down people's travel expenses and ticket money, and even more so, couldn't hurt the hearts of the faithful, Augustus still prepared seriously, which was reflected in the fact that the speech was not written by himself.
Other things were easy to learn, but this highly religious writing style truly couldn't be mastered without three to five years of immersion. If the Pope's address lacked that certain flavor, it would likely greatly disappoint people.
So Augustus referred to some speeches from previous Popes' addresses, told Faol what he wanted to express, and Faol drafted and stitched together a speech. Faol was very enthusiastic about such a sacred and glorious task, and this approach was not unprecedented. Neither of them had any psychological burden, as it was all for the sake of giving everyone a better experience.
The content of the speech was conventional, avoiding any controversial topics. Saying them would be meaningless and potentially have negative effects, so they were naturally left unsaid. Augustus believed in one saying: there's no need to explain your dreams to others; just show them. He also didn't want to attract too much attention at this time.
After Faol finished writing the speech, Augustus practiced reading it hundreds of times in front of a mirror to ensure there would be no problems during the event.
At night, the crescent moon was dim under the cover of dark clouds, and a few scattered stars emitted faint light, appearing as if they would be swallowed by the dark sky. However, St. Peter's Square was brightly lit and bustling with people. At this moment, light and darkness intertwined.
Augustus had dressed formally and stood on the balcony early, the very place where he had first appeared before the crowd after being elected Pope.
Seeing that the time was approaching, Augustus made a gesture, and the noisy crowd gradually quieted down, awaiting the Pope's Christmas Eve address.
...
Augustus recited the speech with great emotion, and thunderous applause and heartfelt praises from the crowd occasionally echoed in the square. In this situation, Augustus did not feel any enjoyment at all; instead, he felt as if he were sitting on pins and needles.
Undoubtedly, the fervor of everyone present was directed towards Catholicism, Jesus, and the identity of the Pope, not towards him personally. If they were to understand his true self, and discover that he was not as they imagined, what kind of crazy actions would they take?
Moreover, the timing of the applause was very odd. In some places, Augustus clearly didn't say anything crucial, merely paused for a breath, and applause immediately erupted; in other places, Augustus said what he considered very important things, paused for a long time, and the applause was belated.
Augustus couldn't help but suspect that among so many people who came to listen to the Pope's Christmas Eve address, pretending to be attentive, few actually understood what he was saying. After all, apart from those in the church, most people were clueless about Latin. More people simply came to join the fun and soak in the atmosphere. Thinking of this, he suddenly felt both annoyed and amused.
The unpredictable applause constantly disrupted Augustus's rhythm, requiring him to adjust non-stop. Coupled with some nervousness, sweat seeped from his forehead. Fortunately, no mishaps occurred, and after half a day of torment, the task was finally completed successfully.
The Pope's Christmas Eve address concluded successfully. At midnight, Augustus also had to lead a group of bishops in presiding over Mass. Clearly, this was also something Augustus had put a great deal of effort into preparing.
He still remembered the first Mass, where Augustus was completely just going through the motions. Things were different now; he had to preside himself, and if he didn't speak, no one dared to make a sound.
There was no other way; he had to rely on himself and couldn't be lazy. Reciting the psalms, rituals, and long passages of various speeches was incredibly painful for Augustus.
The Entrance Rite, the Liturgy of the Word, the Liturgy of the Eucharist, the Communion Rite, and the Concluding Rite followed one after another. Augustus's nerves were highly strained, fearing he would make a single wrong step. After an unknown amount of time, the Christmas Eve Mass finally ended, and everyone dispersed.
After this evening, Augustus was utterly exhausted, feeling as though he hadn't been this tired in the past six months. He returned to the Papal Apartments and immediately fell asleep.