VATICAN LIBRARY GREATLY DAMAGED

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 105, 24 December 1931, Page 5

VATICAN LIBRARY GREATLY DAMAGED

(British Official Wireles-s)

building collapses four buried in debris with priceless volumes; pope's narrow escape

Rec. Dec. 23, 7.0 p.m. RUGBY, Wednesday. A Rome Press telegram reports that, the entire right wing of the Vatican Library, which was built in 1588, crashed late this afternoon, following a collapse of the roof top. •> Fortunately a great part of the staff and a number of workmen engaged in repairs, had left shortly before. All the available fire brigades of the Papal State were rushed to the assistance of the Vatican brigade, which was overwhelmed by its task. The section of the building involved constitutes about one quarter of the whole library. It is estimated that about. 10,000 volumes are buried among the debris. Some the volumes are of great value and include many manuscript letters from Martin Luther in reply to Pope Leo X's first warning at his heresy. It is hoped that the majority will be recovered. The Pope escaped possible death by only ten minutes. When told of the occurrence, he sank to his knees in prayer. Workmen reeeived the alarm on hearing fierce crackling noises, and jumped to the scaffolding and thence to the gTound. The Pope, who was formerly head of the library, had just -left the building where he had been visit'ing the workmen.

It is believed that the repairs weakened the foundations. The crash was due to the collapse of the three central pillars of the roof, the fall of which involved two floors which, with their contents were hurled to the ground. Three workmen employed in an upper room, and Dr. Vattasso, who was engaged in research work in a room below, are missing. It is believed that they are buried in the debris. The Pope is deeply concerned at ' their fate, and has urged every effort to extricate the victims. The walls of the building are standing, resulting in saving the famous frescoes by the pupils of Diulio Romano, in the upper room, known as the Room of One Hundred Days, also the shelves on which were over 2,000 volumes of manuscript, but many pieces of porcelain, gifts of Royalties to the Popes, have been destroyed, including the Sevres Font, in which the Prince Imperial was chistened, and which Napoleon III presented to Pius IX., the Prince's godfather. Other treasures, involved include a copy of Henry VIII's tract against Martin Luther, which won for him and his successors, the title of Defender of the Faith. Later, it was reported that rescue and salvage efforts continued all night. Hearing a faint cry, workmen recovered Dr. Vattasso, who died en route to the hospital.