HOMEAGE TO POPE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 37, 14 February 1939, Page 7

HOMEAGE TO POPE

■ BURIAL CEREMONIES THE FUNERAL ON TUESDAY 300,000 PEOPLE PASS BIER IN FIVE HOURS [By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright Received Feb. 13, 9.10 p.m. VATICAN CITY, Feb. 12. It is officially announced that th burial of the Pope will take place a 3 p.m. G.M.T. on Tuesday and th election conclave will meet betweei February 26 and March 1. Nine funeral masses are being sail during the nine days’ funeral cere monies which began to-day. Mem bers of the Chapter of St. Peter's ar attending. The cardinals are meetin; daily until the conclave to conduc urgent church business. The public were admitted to St Peter’s at 7 a.m. and 300,000 peopb had passed the bier by 12.2 p.m. Three coffins are being provided fo: the remains. The innermost is o Cyprus wood and is enclosed in a leac casket, weighing 880 pounds, whereoi the skull and crossbones and papa arms are embossed. The outer coflii is of thick elm and is seven feet long two feet wide and two and a-half fee deep. In accordance with his wish, the Pope’s tomb in the vault of the Vati can will be next to that of Pius X. As dawn broke over Rome on Fri day after the death of Pope Pius XI lights were turned out and the bell: of St. Peter’s began tolling. The firs' funeral rites were begun in th< Pantifical Palace. Dignitaries assembled for the ceremony of the Veri fication of Death. Taking a smal silver hammer, Cardinal Pacelli liftec the veil and struck His Holiness thrice gently on the forehead, repeating each time his Christian name, Achille He paused for an answer and ther turned te the dignitaries and said ir Latin: Truly the Pope is dead.’ None of the Pope's family was present. After the cardinals had filed past the Pope, the prefect of ceremonies. Monsignor Respighi, dressed the Pope in his pontifical robes with his heac covered with a white skull-cap, on top of which the high pontifical mitre was placed. The body was then laid on a stretcher and wrapped in black and gold cloth and slowly carried downstairs to the throne roc-ir. and ihence to the Vatican Basilica. THE NEXT POPE WILL BE AN ITALIAN CHURCHMAN, NOT DIPLOMAT Received Feb. 14, 1 a.m. ROME, Feb. 13. The Gazetta Del Phopolo says that a non-Italian Pope is impossible owing to the prevailing international tension, though it admits that the influence of foreign cardinals will be stronger than ever before. It declares that the conclave will choose a churchman and not a diplomat.