Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1878-02-15
The Death Of the Pope.


The intelligence of the death of tn
Pope was published by telegraph II
THE paper Friday morning. On Sunda.
morning Rev. Father McVerry of st
Francis church, in his sermon gave a full
and interesting sketch Of the life of the
Pontiff. In the course of it he gave an
explanation of the dogma of infallibility
which. he said though not defined until
done by Plus TX was practically believed
by the members of the Church from it's es-
tablishment. There were, he remarked,
few, if any Pontiffs who had done as
| much for the church as Plus, and after
qnoting the dying words of the Pope
"Guard the Church that I loved so well
and so sacredly'' he entreated his congre-
cation to initiate the Holy Father in low
ing the church as he had loved it and said
that they should pray for the departed
head of the church.
Low Requiem mass has been said every
morning since Friday at st. Francis
church for the repose Of the Pope's soul,
and this morning at 1O1 o'clock there will
be solemn high mass for the same end,
religious service that has never taken
place in Staunton before. Father Nc Yer
~ will be assisted this morning by Rev.
Father Fitzsimmons, and by Rev. Father
Hasty, Of Lexington.
Yesterday evening at st. Francis church
some of the ladies were engaged in draping
it in mourning. The altar is handsomely
draped in black cloth and cashmere, as Is
also the altar of the Blessed Virgin. On
the latter is a picture of the Immaculate
Conception, hung in black, and under it
is an inscription, bearing the date when the
Pope defined this dogma. The walls OF
the church are hung in mourning. In the
centre aisle is a catafalco, covered with
black cloth, giving the appearance Of
coffin beneath. On the top Is crucifix
and the keys of st. Peter and on each
side are lighted candles, Among tie
pictures draped in mourning is portrait
of the Pope, when he was Bishop. and
another. smaller one, of him when be
had been elevated to the Papal chair. The
mourning decorations will remain for
thirty days, unless successor to Plus TX
be sooner elected. The congregation will
also wear badge of mourning for thirty
days. The bell of the church will toll this
morning at 9 O'Clock, and the service will
commence at 10 O'Clock.
The President of the American College
at Rome, now in this country, Msg'r Cha
tard in an address speaking of the prayers
for the Pope's soul says:
Let Americans offer their prayers for
Plus k, in every way their spiritual ben
efactor, that God may relieve him from
suffering, and give him the enjoyment OF
his eternal reward. Because a soul is de-
tanned in purgatory, it must not be con.
cluded that it is less worthy than a soul
that is not. Ii this were true, the soul of
a baptized babe would be worthier in Gods
sight than the soul of Christian who has
struggled faithfully throughout long
life, but has contracted slight blemish
that is visible to Gods absolutely pure
eyes. The practice Of praying for the
speedy relief from purgatory OF the dead
was observed with great solicitude by the
early Christians. In the gallery OF st.
John, in the Lateran Basilica in Rome,
there is an inscribed stone That bears wit
ness to this. The stone was taken from
the Catacombs. and placed In the gallery
by the order of Plus TX. So we have the
highest approval of our p, ayers that God
may pardon any defect that His all-pure
eyes may find in the soul OF Plus X, and
youchsafe to it endless bliss.