The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-08-08
a PArRIARCE's oBsEoUIEs.
Funeral Ceremonies Of the Maronite
Pontff Graphically Described

/ Funeral Ceremonies Of the Maronite
Pontfh Graphically Described
Correspondence Of the ketc York Herald.
! BEYROUT, SYRIA, July s-Ecclesiastical
circles here have been stirred by the recent
death Of the Garonite Patriarch and by the
election Of his successor.
Thirty-six years ago, when the Patriarch
Yusif Habeish died, the bishops could not
| agree as TO his successor. There was con-
nectsd with the patrlarchate as honorary
| bishop, secretary and agent, one BOulos
Mes'ad, a man Of obscure origin, who, how
| ever, had been trained at the propaganda
at Rome, and had served the patriarch Tor
almost twenty-five years. His health was
poor, and it looked as if he could not live
| long. Accordingly he was elected as a
compromise, each party hoping that at his
death its own candidate might prevail.
In the east the funeral follows death
almost Immediately, but in this case there
was delay Of two days, as word had to be
sent TO bishops and other ecclesiastics in diff
| ferent parts of the mountain. Early on the
morning of the day Sheikh Yusif ell Uhazin
called Tor me aud we followed the carriage
road to Junet. Here We took the road TO
the right and began the steep ascent TO the
monastery of Be6erke Riding in front of
us were the French consulgeneraI and the
vice-consul, who had come III their official
capacity. Ioiling up the road were monks,
priests and peasants. When We reached the
yard before the great, white convent we
found swarms OF people. We entered
through the low doorway. The corridor and
open court within were crowded. We made
our way to the reception room-a long, rec
tangular apartment severely plain. At the
end sat the bishops, in dark colored gar
ments, with the chief guests, such as the
| Pope's legate, the French consul and the
| Pacha's secretary.
The bishops rose as we passed before them,
murnuring the formula of coincidence.
Politics were in the air, and every bishop
| felt himself a potential patriach. Sherbet,
coffee and cigarettes were offered to the
guest, who filed the divans along the walls
| Among the guests the most striking figure
was the Armenian Catholic bishop in
purple, with veil of purple guaze
When we crossed the quadrangle to enter
the church we found the crowd dense. A
| for me, and l followed him into the churcl
and up to the ohancel, where was sud-
denly confronted by the dead patriarch,
who was seated upright in an armchair, i'll
the opening Of the rails dressed in full
canonicals, with mitre staff in one hand
and golden cross IN the other. On his breast
were his various decorations. His head,
| slightly inclined, was resting gently on the
back of the chair; his eyes were closed and
his expression was sweet and restful, Us if
IN sleep. The people advanced, kneeled
and kissed his hand and the cross. Behind
him priest stood on guard.
AT about II o'clock the regular funeral
services according to the Maronite rites for
patriarch began. Very few were admitted
to the church. In the chancel were the
bishops and chief guests, who had chairs.
The prayers were mostly in Syriac. Tie
| gospel was read in Arabic by Bishop Di
| of Beyrout. Another bishop swung the
censor before the dead patriarch, and after
ward delivered an address. Then the robes
| OF the patriarch we've changed for similar
| garments, in which he was to be bur :
| Priests then lifted the chair high and bore
1t around the church three times and then
out into the court.
| Outside the body was transferred to
palanquin chair and borne through a line
OF soldiers who presented arms, to a large
oak. Here it was put down and two lay
men delivered addresses. The bishops and
guests then retired to the convent for din
ner, at which there were speeches with some
references to the coming patriarch
Meanwhile the palanquin had started on
a long journey Of five hours up the noun
tain to the native village of the patriarch
| As the procession passed one village, the
people came out and bore the chair 10 the
next. The body was placed in vault in
the Church of Ashkut, upright in a sea, as
| Is the custom.
According to rule the new patriarch
must be chosen on the ninth day after the
burial of the former one. If then the
| bishops can come to no decision Rome
claims the right of appointment. The
probable outcome of the election this time
seemed doubtful. Bishop Dibs is prominent,
but had been out of favor at Rome Bishop
Bustany is a man of power, but he had
once been exiled by Rusten Pacha and he
had held out strongly against the dogma of
papal infallibility for long time. The
choice fell on Hanna ell Hal, bishop of
Baalbec, an intimate friend of the late
patriarch. He is over 70. The choice, l
believe, is fairly popular among the various
elements TO be considered. The new patri-
arch was consecrated few days ago