Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-02-16
THE NEW CARDINAL.
Kilograms of COngratulatiOn-HOw the
Red at Will be Conferred

from Ne oUNtNofe SUM
All day yesterday messenger boys were
delivering kilograms at the archiepiscopal
residence on North Charles street. They
followed each other in such rapid suces-
sion in the afternoon that the bell boy sta
toned himself at the door TO avoid extra
exertion. The kilograms were from arch
bishops, bishops, priests, laymen, socie-
ties ana colleges in every part Of the
country, North, South, East, and West.
Each telegram was a message of con-
graduation TO Archbishop James Glib
bons. who will soon be created a cardinal.
The kilograms showed how dearly the
archbishop is loved and admired, and how
welcome had been the news Of the honor
that is about TO be conferred upon him.
Official notification of the action OF the
Pope has not been received at the arch
iepiscopal residence yet. and is not ex-
pected until the last of the week. The
Archbishop will either be invited TO Rome,
so that he will be present at the coming
consistOry in March, or else he will re-
ceiYe the lesser insignia of his rank from
two papal messengers, one of whom will
be layman and a member OF the noble
guard, and the other an ecclesiastic Of
some pTelate rank in the P0pe's house,
hold. The layman will bring with him
paniOn the berTetta. After receiving these
the Archbishop will 20 TO Rome to be
present at some future c0nsistOry. The
official notification Will indicate which Of
these two courses the Archbishop will
take.
The oonsisJory is an assembly OF pre-
lates, the College of Cardinals at Rome.
IT candidate for the cardinalate is in
the city of Rome when nominated, be at
tends the consist0ry next morning and is
formally installed into the body by cere-
mony called '0pening of the mouth"
which means that he shall henceforth
have voice in the councils. If be is
away from Rome, as in Archbishop Glib
bon's ase, he will be summoned thither
as q 8cribed and go through the ceremony
In Ike manner.
The famous distinction of Cardinal is
the red hat. The special significance Of
the hat is that it is placed by the
hands of the Pope himself upon the head
of the new Cardinal. It's color signifies
that the wearer is prepared to l0se the
last drop of his blood rather than betray
his trust. 1t was first conferred in 1915.
The hat is now mere ceremonial and
serves but twice-once when the Cardinal
receives it in cOnsistory. and next
when Ii rests upon the catafalque at his
obsequies. 1t is then suspended from the
ceiling OF the chapel or aisle of the church
in which he may be buried. The hat worn
by the late Cardinal MoCloskey is hang
ing over his tomb in ST. Patrick's Cattle
dral, New York city. The form Of the red
hat is round, with low crown and wide,
stiff rim, from the inside of which
hang fifteen tassels attached in triangle
from one to FIVE. At the ceremony of
giving the hat the Pope says in Latin !:
Receive for the glory of Almighty God
and the Holy Apostolic See this red hat, the
sign OF the unequaled dignity OF the car
dinalate, by which is declared that even
to death by the shedding of thy blood thou
shouldst show tbyself intrepid for the
exaltation OF the blessed faith, for the
peace and tranquility Of the Christian
people, for the increase and prosperity of
the Holy Roman Church" Another dis
tinctive ornament of Cardinal is a gold
ring, set with sapphire and engraved ON
the metal surface of the inside with the
arms of the Pope who has created him.
1t is put on his finger by the Pope himself
Archbishop Gibbons viii be one of the
youngest members Of the college. In the
library at the archiepiscopal residence
there is a large book containing finely ex-
ccuted iikenesses CT the present cardi-
mails. They are remarkably Intellectual
looking men. The new cardinals face will
be noticeable even among that striking
group. Rumor has it that Archbishop
Williams, Of Boston, will also be created
a cardinal at the March c0nsist0ry, but
there is no information on the subject in
Baltimore.