VATICAN SPLENDOUR

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 306, 17 March 1928, Page 28

VATICAN SPLENDOUR

CARDINAL'S PRICELESS LACE BRILLIANT CEREMONY The Public Consistory tfor the con ferring of the Red Hat on the fl Te newly-created cardinals! was attended not only by the whole Papal Court but by all diplomats accredited to the Holy See, by that section of the Rom&n aristocracy known as the "Black' 1 party, and by many distinguished visitors, wrote the "Daily Mail's” Rome correspondent. The procession accompanying the Pope from his apartments to'the Sala Regia was one of the most briliiam that can be imagined, exhibiting a wealth of colour rivalling that of any military or civil display. Pius XX., borne high above the crowd in the Sedia Gestatoria by bearers in rich crimson Renaissance costumes wore a magnificent red robe and the famous triple crown. The Pontiff was preceded and followed by cardinals in purple robes with trains sweeping far behind them’ and priceless laces; soldiers in mediaeval costume, their dark faces framed in ruffs; monks in sombre habitsarchbishops, patriarchs, bishops and monsignors in purple, crimson, black and gold, with jewelled mitree and glittering crosses. The Pope took his seat on the throne greeted by the silver trumpets of the Xoble Guard, which has had this privilege from the most remote period. The new cardinals were led into his presence from the Sistine Chapel and were publicly proclaimed as members of the Sacred College, the Pope holding the cardinal’s hat over the head of each. The new Princes of the Church then paid the traditional homage to the Pontiff, kissing his foot, hand, and cheek, and were afterwards embraced by their colleagues.