The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1878-03-17
How He Looked in Death
Immense Crowds that Filled st. Peter s
to View His Remains.
THE SOLEMN CLOSING SCENES.
london Register, February 90.

loon were admitted those who had loVeu
Plus TX while living and mourned him
posed to the gaze of his beloved children.
On his dear head was the crimson canauro
bordered with eymine, which he rarely
wore in life. On his shoulders was the
mozzetts, scarlet in color, bordered Win
ermine. The arms were crossed upon the
hreast. and his fair hands, now white In
death. clasped that crucifix which had con-
soled him in his last momente. Inc lace
of the dead Pontif had that appearance
which the human heart Will always asso-
ciate with that of these who die IN tne
Lord. A waxy cleayness was IN the race,
and the contracted lower lip seemed as If
had been thus contracted in a emile.
Two Noble Guards stood at the foot of the
bad with swords in mourning, and motlon-
less as statues. 1t is more easy to Imagine
than to describe the sorrow which sat upon
the faces and gathered in the eyes OF the
Romans, mostly the nobility OF the Eternai
City, as they entered into the room where
Law the mortal remains of their beloved
Father.
aoBs BURST FORTH UNREsTRAINEDLf-
Tears flowed down many faces, and as the
people knelt at the feet of the Sovereign
Pontiff, fell upon the white coveriet OF MS
bed, Devotion, love, sorrow filed their
hearts and the presence of others did not
prevent them from giving full sway to
these feelings. Aud even they, who owed
no much to Plus TX, were not alone In the
display of their sorrow for his loss. Inc
yery Jews have deplored his death, and
have given testimony of the grief which
oppressed them when this their champion
and protector was removed from amongst
them. All Rome, with one sad exception,
the Municipality, with Prince Emmanuel
Ruspoli at it's head, grleVed ana wepG @ tne
TX. A miserable defence has been at
temnted to be set up for the wretched cor
poration, but it has failed egregously.
AT four o'clock further admissions to
look upon the dead Pontitt were refused.
The vesting of aim in the habit of Bishop
was then begun. This task devo!ved upon
the Penitentiaries of St Peters. 1t was
long and a difficult tack. gold mitre
was placed upon the head the chasuole
was Of crimson cloth gold on the bands
were purple elk gloves, and on the fourth
finger of the right hand was the episcopal
rin4, AS on his death bed, so now, the
hands claspsd the cruciix. Slippers en-
broidered in gold covered the feet, winch
had purple silk stockings on them. Ibe
robes of the Greek Cnurch in communion
with the Holy See, such as his Holiness
was accustomed to wear at the great cere
monies when he pnntiticated in St. Peters
were placed upon lis dead body, as we'll
as those he wore as B shop of the Roman
Church. AT five O'Clock the m!re was
nlaced mon his head, and from this hour
forward those who were about to asaIst at
the ceremony of the removal CT his BODY
from his rooms in the Vatican to the Chapel
of the Most Holy Sacrament III the Baelllca
of st. Peter, had already begun TO gather
and to fill up the neigbboring halls A;
half-past six the preparations were com.
plete. and the bearers raised up the bed
on which the Pontff lay in death, but
seeming as if wrapped iu sleep, and began
to move forward. The procession was
opened by two files of Swiss Guards, fol.
lowed by Palafrenieri and by the clergy
bearing torches. Then camo the mace
bearers, and they were followed by de
tachment of the Swiss Guards. The bear
era of the funeral bed, on which was Plut
TX, the beloved Pontlt, s9rrounoed Dy tns
Noble Guard and by the Penitentlaries o.
the Vatican Basilica, then came along
slowly and mournfully. The Penltentia
ries bore lighted wax candles. They were
followed by Mgr. Ricci, Majordomo Mgr
lEacchi, Master of the household mgr
Samminiatelli, Secret Almoner; and Mgrs
NeGrotto, Casali del Drago, De Bisogno
and Della Volpe, Secret Chamberlains
and by Mgr. Vannutelli, Substitute OF thu
Secretary of State. Immediately atte
these came Marquis Sacchetti, Marqui
Serlupi, and the Commentators FllippanI
Behind these followed the Duke of Castel
vecchio, commander of the Corps OF th
Noble 6 uard Prince Altieri, Captain ant
the privileged officers of the same Corps
The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Churc
that ID to cay, ali those III A'ono " Il
were able to attend-came next, and
they proceeded their voices were raised
the chanting of psalmody. After the mem
bers of the Sacred College came very man
princes and members of the high sristocra
cy. Behind these followed the Secre
Chamberlains of his Holiness with othe
distinguished personsges. The processio
was closed by detachment of the Paiatln
Guard of Honor. 1t is seldom that such
sad and solemn ceremony is witnessed eve
in Rome, and it is difficult for those wh
have not seen it, or who do not know th
scene on which it occurred, even to imagir
Its strange and melancholy interest.
A PROFOUND AND SOLEMN BADNESS
seemed to accompany the procession as
passed through the ample halls of tt
Vatican, through she world .renoWne
LOggie of Raphael, through the Ducal an
Royal Halls, by stairs and vestibules whol
names are celebrated in the annals of Rom