Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1879-05-02
" Funeral of Victor Emmanuel.

The anniversary of the death of Vic
tor Emmanuel, which occurred on the
9th Of january, was observed by the
people OF Rome by mute but express
sive visit to his tomb in the Pantheon.
Because it came in the octave of the
feast of the Epiphany, when the Roman
Church forbids all funeral ceremonies,
the requiem mass which had been pre-
pared for the solemnity was not sung.
But thousands of the most distinguished
citizens went to the Pantheon and stood
silently there, many of them under the
open windows of the dome, although it
rained, thus expressing their reverence
for the memory of the dead King and
their affectionate remembrance of him.
Umberto, with filial piety, went there
at o'clock in the morning and knelt at
the altar near his fathers tomb so long
that one of his attendants was obliged
to remind him of the humidity of the
atmosphere.
The ceremony for the repose of the
soul of Victor Emmanuel, according to
the ritual of the Roman Church, was
performed in the Pantheon on the 18th
of January.
Another similar one, but on q larger
scale, was given on the Goth, in the
Church of Santa Maria degli Angel.
Notwithstanding their vaunted indie.
pendence, the Italians are still subject
to the priests, and cannot use the great
churches within the city limits for any
patriotic purpose.
The Mayor of Rome applied to the
Cardinal Vicar for permission to cele-
brate this ceremony in San Giovanni in
Laterano. But the response, although
disguised by courteous words. was neg
alive, and refused the use Of either of
the four patriarchal basilicas--San
Pietro, San Giovanni, Santa Maria
Maggiore, and San Lorenzo.
He, however, accorded permission to
use either of the other large churches
for this purpose.
The Pantheon was not So deliberately
decorated on the anniversary as it was
last y ear for the funeral, and the ma
jestic building was left to make its own
solemn impression. A catafalque was
raised in the center, ornumented with
four emblematic figures in plaster OF
Paris and around the base were laid sew
eral hundred beautiful wreaths of nat
ural flowers of silver or bronze or gilt
work. The variety of these was equal
to their number, and they were sent
from oil parts of Italy as testimonials of
affection. The King has assigned two
large rooms in the Quirinal Palace,
where they will be preserved, with
their long white ribbons inscribed in
gilt letters with the names of the cities,
societies, or individuals who gave
them.
At the entrance of the church was the
following inscription ITO the great
and good God, the government and
people raise funeral prayers on this an
niversary for the soul of King Victor
Emmanuel III. !, the father of his coun-,
try"
However Protestants may condemn
the false doctrine in this celebration,
they must recognize the gentleness and
amiability Of the idea a4
The celeb ration at Santa Maria degli
Angel was similar to that Of the Pan
theon, although upon u larger scale. A
mass by Cherubini was executed by
200 singers and 100 instruments.
Another ceremony of the same char
acter took place in the Church of Santa
Croce at Florence, and was attended by
the authorities and large number of
persons invited by the city. Even the
Israelites of Rome could not refrain
from taking part in these ceremonies,
and they crowded their synagogue to
hear discourse pronounced by one of
the rabbis and Hebrew chorus COM
posed for the occasion by Jew.--Cor.
Cincinnati Gazette. al ...r I.. f.p.,y