Death of the Pope

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 170, 22 July 1903, Page 2

Death of the Pope

THE CARDINALS (SUMMONED,

EXTREME UNCTION ADMINISTERED.

PER PRESS ASSOCIATION. Rome, July 20. Dr. Mfzzoni states that the Pope may live 24 hours, but the end is possible at any moment. The Cardinals were hastily summoned to the Vatican at noon, acd Cardinal Vannutolli administered Extreme Unction to the Pope.

Latbr. The Pope is deid. THE CLOSING SOESE. Rome, July 20. Shortly before the end the diplomatic representatives were admitted. The Pope with great difficulty pro nounceh the benedictioD, also kissing his hand. Brief agony preceded his death. POST MORTEM CEREMONIES.

PREPARATIONS FOR LYING IN STATE Reoeiveil 22, 0.7 aim. Rome, July 21. I The Oamatlingo verified the Pope's! death with the customary ceremon : es, omitting the tapping of the forehead thrica with a silver lnmmer, and spriakling it ins'ead with holy water from a silver bowl while cdling aloud thrice " Gioacehino," the dead Pope's nam?. Ho then pronounced the Pope dead.

The fisherman's ring was then removed from the Pope's hand, and the 1 oi;, attired in pontifical vestment?, was removed to the tapestjy chamber preliminary to the public exposition at St. Peter's-.

The death created a great impression at Rome, the pspuhce being qui b t and reverent.

Many shops were closjd, and flag 6 half-masted, bands stopped playing, and vas 1 ; crowds congregated at the Vatican and St. Peter's,

GENERAL SORROW FEW, Received 23, 0.15 a.m.

London, July 21, Profound sorrow is expressed throughout Europe at the Pope's death, Tha P<ess unanimously hud the Pope's saintly character.

The Times says the lite Pope was a great bishop, thinker, and student.

Washington, July 21. • Pr.sidenti Roosevelt cabled to Ordinal Rimpolla as follows:—" America is conscious the Christian world has sustained a great loss. Romb, July 21. The Italian Government has promised the conclave corplete liberty in connection with the election of a successor,

HIS LliT MOMENTS. A PARTING BENEDICTION. Received 22, 1.8 a.m. Rome, July 21. There was a marked change for the worse at 11.30, the Pope's breathing being mosS difficult. • The Cardinals ware summoned, and Cardinal Vannutolli recited the prayers for the dying, Monsignor Pifler, the Pope's sacristan, gave the absolution, but there was little sign of consciousness till his three nephews knelt at the bedside, and then with a supreme efLrt the Pope raised his hand in the set of blessing, repeating the gesture in the direction of the Cardinal' ard household,

At 1.30 unconsciousness supervene,!, breathiDg became more difficult, and ceasing at 4.4 after a slight convulsive movement.

Throughout the 17 days of th struggle the Popa exhibited mnvellou* counge, showing no impatience, and he preserved his intellect throughout. Cardinil Oreglia, the Camerlingo, assumed control, and 6trangtrs wtrt ordered to leava the Vatican.

The closing of the bronze gates informed the publio that death had taken place.

AUSTRALIAN SYMPATHY.

Sydney, July 21. The State Governor, writing to Cardinal Moran on the eve of his departure, expressed sorrow at the Pope's iilness atd a hope that he may be sparad to the Roman Catholic Church and the world, for all, no matter how much they may differ in forms of religion, must have reverence and esteem for one who so long and ably ruled over so large a proportion of the human race. Received 22,1.20 a.m. Sydney, July 21. Regret at the Pope's death is widely expressed. Flags on the Government Buildings were hi]f-masted, RECEPTION OF NEWS IN NEW ZEALAND. Auckland, Ju'y 21. On receipt of the news of the Pope's death St. Patrick's Cathedral, was draped in black and the bll to'led. Many flags were half-masted. Tonight prayers for the repo3e of his sou' will be lecited in all the Catholic Churches. There will be ni other memorial services till next week.

| Wellington, July 20. The bells in the Catholic Ohu<cb were tolled for an hour this moroiDg on receipt of the news of the Pope's death. A special Mass will be cele brated during the week. CHRisTcauaoH, July 21. On receipi of the ne*s < f the Pope's death the pro-Oathedial he'l was tolled, A Grand Requiem Mass will be celebrated to-day.

BI3HOP GKIMES' EULOGY

Hokitika, July 21, The Eight Kev. Dr. Grimes, Bishop of Ohristeburoli, who is at present here on an c-ffioial visi fc , has road 9 the following statement: death has at length laid low the great Pontiff Leo XIIL For a quarter c.f a century the V'.Cir of Obrist, and the Divinely appointed successor of St. Peter, has governed the Church of the living God. How well ha has governed and guided this Ohurch is well-known to all. Hi* rmrvcllous intellect, his lofciness of views, his large hearted nes', his ever practical and lively interest iu the welfare of the working classes, as of all humanity, have won for him universal praise, iove, and admiration. We had foucily hoped that he would be left loader to rule ovm us, but the Almighty h<w decreed otherwise, and wo mus. s'llvni* 'o t!-« admirable w'-\] V ',u\ -.-:v.-> ■\-.li„ ■• \ .he K.Bi of ou: .■ y .-. < --, i ..\ C :^ t o ar i&thsr, and supreme Pontiff, wo must'

cot be unmindful cf our duty to the departed. De pite tha BaintHneee of his life he may still have to atone for scmo faul's or failings before entering iuto tha Kingdom of Kingdoms. Besides the prayers and supp'icAtions which all his devoted children will fervently offer in his behalf in ev»ry i hurch or chapel, thc-re should be celebrated as f-oon as possible a solemn Requiem, followed by tho abpolution. Henceforth, until wo hear of the election of a successor to t!;e deceased Po jtiff, thn prayer " Supplici Domini," from the " Ulis.-w pro eligendo £umm Pontifi.ee," thould be said or sung a every Ma«s and Benediction when tht rabrico will allow.

The news of the Pope's death w»h tece'vod in New Piym uth aboil* 9 30 on Tuesday morning, and the bell at At. Joeph's Ohurch was at once tolled. Several flics were half-masted. A s leoin Kt qui m Misj will b i celebrate at St, Joseph's Church on Tb.uisd.ty morning at 8 o'clock.

HISTORICAL NOTES,

From the time when it claimed St. Peter as head ofthe Catholic Church in A.D. 4;>, to that of the late Leo XIII., there have been, according to the Boman Notizie, 25s Popes, exclusive of 211 anti-Popes. On thin point, however, authorities do not agree, but as it is not a matter of much importance so far as the Church of to-day is concerned, the correctness of the official list may be assumed. There have been several gaps during this long period, but not of long duration. In the year 305 the see was vacant for three years and a half; in 039, for a year and 7 months; in 1085, for a year; in 1242, for a year and 7 month*; in 1268, for 2 years and !t months; and in 1314 for 2 years and a quarter. Stephen 11., in 752, died before consecration. Boniface VI., in Bi)C, reigned only 18 days. Benedict IX., in 1033, was deposed, but attempted to resume the Pontifical chair in lt'4B. In 1154 an Englishman named Nicholas Breakspear became Pope, under the title of Adrian IV. In 1305 the Papal Court was removed to Avignon, and was not restored to Home till During tho last century tho See was occupied by Pius VII. (Chiaramonti), 1800; Leo XII. (Genga), 1823; Pius VIII. (Castlglioni), 181!); Gregory XVI. (Capellari), 1831 ; Pius IX. (Mastai-Kerretti), 1846; Leo XIII. (Pecci) 1878. By far the larger number of Popes have only had a short term of office, the longest pontificates being those of Pius IX., 32 years; Leo VIII., Pius VI, and Leo XII. each 25 years. . Pius VII. and Adrian 1., 23 years, Alexander 111. i2 years, Clement XL, Urban VII. and Leo the Great,2l years, tho others ranging from 19 years to a few months.

Although the death of the occupant of the Chair of St. Peter no longer causes that keen excitement which such an occasion was , wont to do when the Pontiff was a temporal as well as a spiritual ruler, it is still an event of sufficient importance to arouse the interest and sympathetic feelings of all Christendom. • The exalted position filled by the head of the Church of Rome inVolves the exercise of continual watchfulness around the farreaching horizon that bounds the world of Europe, Asia, Africa, America, and Aus(r,a- ---' lasia; and it is generally admitted that > Leo XIII. never for an instant relaxed this vigilance, but was ever ready to extend, to educate and to guide the affairs of the Catholic Church to the end that the religious, the moral, and the educational nature of mankind might be elevated, the social wrongs diminished, the down-trodden and oppressed championed, and the true advancement of civilisation secured, and, above all, that the greatness of the Church over which he presided should ever be extended and enlarged. The vastness of tho work is evidenced by tho fact that with and in submission to the Pope are some eleven hundred bishops governing as many Sees throughout Christendom, and embracing over two hundred and seventeen million of adherents who rendered obedience in all things ' spiritual to Leo XIII. Nearly a century has passed since Vincent Joachim Pecci was born at an unimportant , town, Carpineto 'signifying an elm forest), surrounded by the Volscian Mountains —one of the most picturesque ranges in Italy. It ' was on March 2nd, 1810, that he entered ; into the world in which he has played such a prominent and useful part. He was the youngest of tho four sons of Count Ludovico ' Pecci and Anna Prosper! Busi, the daughter, 1 of one of the twelve noble families located at Cori, near Carpineto, and a descendant of the famous Cola di Rienzi. The Pecci family is one of the oldest and most dis- j tinguished of the Sienna nobility, dating 1 back to the beginning of the fourteenth | century. Entering life under highly favourable circumstances, young Pecci's childhood days were passed in a home not only pious and happy, but noble and refined. The child's early expressed wish to learn to read and write like St. Thomas Aquinas was somewhat disappointing to his father, who wished the boy to embrace a military career, but the Countess acquiesced in the boy's wishes, remarking to his father '• Yon will make a Pope of hiin." True prediction, but how little realised at the time. Commencing his education at the age of eight years at the Jesuit College of Viterbo, he subsequently continued his studies at the Koman College under Fathers Ferdinand Minim, Joseph Buonvicini, add the renowned Peronnfi, and finally at the Academy of Nobles. From the first he exhibited a strong predeliction for Latin verse, and gave proofs of possessing considerable talents and piety. During his studies in Rome he had neither society nor amusement, his desk was his world and scientific investigation his parad:se. The only roads he knew were those to church and school. His superiority over his fellow students was so marked that he was unanimously chosen head of the students deputation sent to Leo XII. on the occasion of tho jubilee granted by that Pope to the Roman Catholic world, and his speech so delighted the Pontiff that had he lived there is no doubt Joachim Pecci would have received considerable favour at the hands of Leo XII. More than once the ardent nature of his studies after a while told on his health, and a short period of enforced rest became necessary. His most complete and fruitful college triumph was in 1835, when he delivered a disquisition dedicated to Cardinal Sala, a valued adviser of Pope Grogory XIV., who, after the young priest was ordained, appointed him, at the age of 26, a domestic prelate and Referendary of the Signatura. At this time the bent of Mgr. Pecci's inclinations seems to have been rather towards a diplomatic than an ecclesiastical career, but at the latter end of the year 1837 he was admitted a sub-deacon, and seven days later had the diaconate conferred upon him, being consecrated a priest on the last day of the year. Early in the following year, on the recommendation of Cardinal Sala, the Pope, requiring a delegate of energy to suppress the insubordination prevailing in Benevento, despatched Mgr. Pecci thither. The suppression of the brigandage and smuggling in this mountainous region was very quickly and completely accomplished, the delegate ridding the province of the pestilential presence of the malefactors, and opened up new roads for trade, reduced taxation, and inaugurated needful reforms. From thence he was sent for a short while as a delegate to Perugia, and here again his success was perfect. Rapidly rising in favour by reason of his skill, courtliness,and devotion to liis noble work, he was ere long (in his 83rd year) made Archbishop of bamiatta, in jtartibus ■itifrdeVtum, and sent as apostolic nuncio to the Court of Brussels, where his agreeable manners and conspicuous ability endeared him to King Leopold, who parted with him with regret, conferred on him tlie Grand Cross of the Order of Leopold, and, it is said, recommended him for the Cardinal's hat. He did not return at once to Italy, but travelled on the Continent, and also visited England, having the honour of a presentation to the late Queen Victoria. He reached Home once more just after the death of Pope Gregory. In 18-16 Mgr. Pecci was proclaimed Bishop of Perugia, and created Cardinal in petto. He was welcomed again at, Perugia, his entry into the city being quite a triumph. Here his term of otlice was stormy but fruitful, and by the maintenance of a firm and dignified attitude in the face of the troubles that came io the district, Archbishop Pecci demonstrated that religion was the best promoter of patriotism, and that in becoming a priest lie did not. cease to take pride in the glory of his country. When the Italian Government look possession of Umbria he counselled his Hock to peace, and continued the work ot his diocese undisturbed by the n-.li!i.-.t! troubles. On the Will of De'cciu'.cr, 1;C,.!. he was made a cardinal, ami at

I l, ■■■ d ah of Cardinal de Anj-vlis in Julv, 1H77. Cardinal i'ecci biM'.amu fhamliiirlain—an olllei! which, up (o thai, time, had carried with it the disadvantage of all chance o£

becoming nn occupant of the Papal Chair t but when Pius IX. died Cardinal Pecci became his successor, being elected on February 201 li, 1878, and crowned on the tfrd of the following month. In adopting the title of Leo XIII., His Holiness chose a name suggestive of piety, learning, and statesmanship. His Holiness lost no time in applying himself to the duties of his exalted otiioe, one of his earliest acts being the work of restoring the Scotch hierachy—a (ask commenced by his predecessor. His iirst, oiHcial declaration of principle* and policy was promulgated at. a Consistory in .she Vatican on Miirch 28th, an occasion memorable to American Catholics as belrift that on which the first, American Cardinal received his " red hat."

Keenly alive to the calamitous result* presided by the growth of socialism and communism in its most hideous and poisonous shaprs T,co XIII., in the first year of his pontificate, issued a powerfully-worded encyclical, denouncing tlie errors and deformities involved in the revolutionary propaganda then assuming such dangerous proportions, ard counselling his clergy how lo meet and combat the evil. There is no doubt that, the course taken by His Holiness in this matter commended itself most favourably to the Sovereigns of Europe; and paved the way for that amity of relationship 1 which he so greatly desired. By nature and talents the late Pope was peculiarly fitted for tho dilllcult task of creating and maintaining friendship with foreign Courts, Possessing the grace of a courtier, combined with the cultivation of an ecclesiastic, and having in the course of his early career developed an exceptional diplomatic talent, the attainment of his cherished desire to further the interests of the Church in all parts of the world was a far easier and mora congenial task than could huve been the case with his immediate predecessors. There is, therefore, some justification for the estimate which has been formed of the late Pope by one of his biographers, who states that Leo XIII. " is universally admitted to be one of the greatest Pontiffs that ever sat in the Chair of St. Peter." It would seem only nat tiral that one so highly gifted and possessed of such a profound stort of learning, should be zealous in the cause of education and science. This was a remarkable and praiseworthy trait in the late Pope's character, and even in later years, when burdened with the cares of the whole Church and weighted with advancing age, lie could still find time to encourage those who cultivated the arts and higher sciences, the marvellous effects of which in enlighten* ing and elevating mankind he was always ready to recognise and proclaim. One of the most difficult problems that Leo XIII. had to solve was that of his attitude in regard to the Irish Land League, and tho . methods adopted by the rural population to redress their (rrievances. It was bore, perhaps, that His Holiness showed more weakness than was to be expected from one who had such intimate acquaintance with tha evils of lawlessness, and whose firm attitude and expressed convictions against misrule had gained for him such high respect. Admitting that the question was one which had baffled the leading English statesmen, yet His Holiness must have been aware of the dastardly methods of revenge adopted by the members of the League and secret societies. True, he took the precaution of summoniug to Home several Irish prelates, with whom he had many conferences, but » unfortunately they pointed out that the Irish people were engaged in a " peaceful and constitutional agitation " for the acquisition of their rights, with the result that, instead of out and out condemning the action of his staunch adherents, he took refuge in the negative style of expressing his views, which were that he did not disapprove of redressing grievances by legitimate means but could not approve of ceitain things done. Yet, In 1884, we find the late Pope issuing a famous encyclical against secret societies—but this time it is the harmless and helpful Freemasons who were singled out for attack. The late Pope spent enormous sums in founding and assisting schools, the Benedictine College of St. Ansclm having cost him nearly £160,000. Towards the encouragement of art he has also subscribed liberally. To him, also, the restoration of the Sistine Chapel is owing, also the restoration of the Borgia rooms in the Vatican, while not long ago the electric light was introduced into the Vatican, and a solemn benediction bestowed on the plant; this act clearly showed that the Pope was keenly alive to the benefits of science. In all the most important of his encyclicals there is to be found abundant evidence of the philosophio bent of his mind. As a writer and poet he showed great pnrity of language and originality of thought. Although his model has been Virgil, throughout there was a style peculiar to His Holiness. Not long since a collection of his poems was published under the title of Carolina h'omuima. It is somewhat remarkable that the first and last intellectual efforts of his life were poetio, one of his last acts being to dictate a poetio invocation to the Redeemer and the Virgin. The Jesuits have much reason to be proud of Leo the Great, as he was sometimes called, as from him they received many marks of esteem and favour. In his dealings with the Press he always recognised its importance and influence, and made it a point of receiving journalists with marked favour —even going to the length of submitting tobe interviewed, and in this he was the first Pope who eve took this means of placing himself in touch with public opinion. Although it did not fall to the lot of His Holiness to decree any new dogma of faith, he achieved many brilliant successes. To the whole world his voice ha« again and again been uplifted in counsels of eloquence and wisdom. It can well and truly be said that during the whole of his life he has striven to perform each successive duty that he was called upon to undertake, and in every position he has occupied he has not failed to do so with honour, shedding the lustre of brilliant attainments all along the path he has trodden, and he now enters into that rest and peace which by a long, noble, pious, and useful lifo ho has so justly earned.