Death of Pepe Pius X.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXX, Issue 3, 21 August 1914, Page 2

Death of Pepe Pius X.

THE LAST MOMENTS. JBy Electric Telegraph—Copyright] [United Press Association.] Rome, August 20. The Pope is sinking. He has been unconscious since noon. The doctors arc administering oxygen. (Press Association— Extraordinary-) The Pope is dead. THE COURSE OF THE ILLNESS. BOWED DOWN WITH GRIEF AT THE WAR. THE EEDSJDE SCENE. (Received 8.45 a.m.) Rome, August 20. Five days ago the Pope contracted a slight cold in his bronchial tubes, which was accompanied with some signs of fever, hut no anxiety was felt until yesterday, when Cardinal Merry Del * Val (Pontifical Secretary of State) decided to issue two bulletins daily.

The Pope rose as usual on Sunday, but he showed great weakness and returned to bed. He was bowed down with grief over the war, continually repeating "poor children! poor children!" In this, His Holiness was alluding to the solaiers killed in buttle.

Late on Wednesday the Pope's brother, Angelo, was summoned to tbe bedside, though it was doubtful if he would arrive in time. All the Cardinals assembled at St. Peter's and prayed without intermis-

There were touching scene;, at the bedside. The Pope's sister and niece were distracted.

Cardinals Merry Del Val, Disleti, Van Rosum, Ferrata and Gagir.no knelt and prayed. The Pope afterwards gave audience privately to Monsignor .Rosa (secretary of the Conclave), when it is believed he confided his last wishes to him. Dell|a,vnolpe directs the Holy See ad interim. THE POPE'S LAST WORDS. (Received 8..50 a.m.) Rome, August 20. The Pope's last words were:— "I now bagin to think the end is approaching. The Almighty, in His inexhaustible goodness, wishes to spare me the horrors of war." THE POPE'S OF WAR. HASTENS HIS END. (Received 9 a.m.) London, August 20. Lt is reported that the Pope was distressed at being powerless to prevent the war: also at the Austrian Emperor for delaying to receive Ins letters begging him not to permit war, and at thousands of priesthood students being obliged to join the army.

INTERVIEW WiTH ARCHBS3HOP

O'SKEA.

REQUIEM MASS TO BE HELD,

[[Pan Pbess Association.] Wellington, August 21

Intel-viewed last night, Archbishop O'Slip.'i said the news of the Pope'a death would cause consternation throughout the Catholic world. His Holiness had not been well of late, and the shock of war had been too much for him. It must be remembered that lie was an old man, being 'eighty years old. A solemn 'Requiem .Muss will be held, but the date is not fixed.

FROM PEASANT HOME TO VATSGAN, On 2nd June last Pope Pius X. entered upon his 80th year. A strenuous life, as well as a lone; one. he leaves behind,him; a life full of vigorous activity, and marked by a devotion to church and people worthy of a great spiritual leader. His influence has told in every station of his career, from his curacy in the Venetian village of Tombolo to the pontifical throne, and always he retained the simplicity of nature that was suggestive of the family life in the humble home at, Riese, where lie was horn. There his father, Joseph Sarto, followed the dual occupation of farmer and municipal letter-carrier —before hiiv.

uiv 200 years the family had worked on the soil; and the issue of a long lino of laborers sat on the throne of tiie Popes. And. still, the association with the humble surroundings of early days is maintained through his brother, who is a village postmaster, and three sisters, who are married to tradesmen.

JOSEPH MELCHIOF! SARTO. Joseph Mclchior Sarto, to give Pope Tins X. his family name, received his primary education at a school four miles from his father's house, trampnig hhe distance every day., and his earnest! 10;• in tne cause of education was early shown, i'oi' in four years he was absent but one day: hi I S HS, at the ago of 23, he was received into the priesthood, beginning Ids career in the service of his Church in the country village of Tombolo. Here one of his first works was the establishment of a free night school, and from then onwards, as opportunities arose, education received his especial attention ; as Pope, lie has issued many decrees dealing with the promotion of education. After nine years at Tombolo, he was called to be parish priest at Sakano, where he proved himseil the friend of the poor. A fellow-priest, calling at his house one morning, noticed a big heap of firewood ill the yard.

Surto said his friends iiad sent ii along as firiug for the winter. A week later all the wood had gone; it had been given away to the poor, am! the priest had nothing for Lis own !:r<\ FATHER SAR7J. At the end of the second period of nine years, Father S rruo became a canon in the Cathedral ai Trevisa, one of the most important ;o\vns of Venetia, and within the next > ar was dean and chancellor of t.i.o diocese. There he spent the t iii j>eriod of his life, during which :,e .i-sited Home and entered for tiie fi ,i time the building ivhere lie wa> to rule 23 years later, in 1884 he was iiishop of Mantua, and nino years afterwards became Patriarch of Venice. Three days before receiving the i'.ppointmenfc he had been admitted to the Sacred College of Cardinals, in company with 15 others. The clay lie entered Venice as its ecclesiastical head, troops lined streets. and the municipal authorities received him publicly. H c carried into his high office his simple, unassuming habits, ever courteous to all. prudent, reserved, and linn, it is related concerning him at this period that he confessed to his sisters that it was about time that he began to economise, and with this object in view he bought a second-hand red hat, and sent out his bishop's robes to be dyed red, but. unfortunately, they came out whitoybrown. He advised his careful sisters to put them away in lavender, for they would come in handy if ever he became Pope. GARDiNAJ. SARTG. While in Venice, Cardinal Sarto set himself the .task of restoring the ecclesiastical glories of the city, and the manner in which he succeeded showed his capacity as administrator and intermediary. Every year he solemnly blessed the sea, the ceremony being described as one of the most striking acts of worship ever seen, the Cardinal carrying the Host in the midst of .-. company of priests, with a great con course of people around. ENTHRONED AUGUST 9, 1903.

On the death of Pope Leo XIII., in 1903, the College of Cardinals met to choose a successor. There were 62 present. Few thought of Cardinal Rarto as the next occupant of the Vatican—least of all himself. At the first ballot lie received five votes. As the ballotts were taken, this number gradually increased, the supporters of the two main sections slowly failing away, and eventually 50 votes were cast for him, and the choice was made. When asked if he would accept, he replied: "I accept it as a cross, and I bey you all to help me bear it." The election took place on August -I, 1903, and Jive clays later, in the presence of 40,000 people crowded into the Basilica—there wero 50,000 more outside—he was enthroned. HIS PiETY AND FiRMNESS. Pope Pius X., during the first few years of his pontificate, shattered many conceptions of himself. It was thought, as the friend of Italian royalties, he would abandon the Vatican policy of isolation. Quickly he showed thai; none of the claims made by his predecessors were to be abandoned, or even modified; and soon those who honored him for his piety, respected him for his firmness. It became clear that he knew just what he wanted, and in the choice of those who were to assist him in the work of his high office,there was the evidence of the faculty of knowing men. The encyclicals published by him from time to time proved his fearlessness or his statesmanship. Strength of character was behind his condemnation of the Separation Law of France; and the subsequent canonisation of .loan of Arc was intended as a blow at the freethinkers of that country. The No Tomerc decree stirred the whole of Christendom some years apo, and others of his promulgations have been farreaching in their effect. Such are some of the characteristics of the 257th wearer of the Papal tiara. and when the great roll of Popes comes to he called, few will be found Ito have evoked more affection and 1 pride than the peasant's son from Reise, whose aim through life has been to serve his people with all the strength that was in him.

During the past couple of years, his Holiness' health had been the cause of some concern to those around him, hut, considering his years, he was wonderfully alert, with an interest in tilings as keen as ever.