Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1896-05-23
suRIAL OF A POPE.
Impressive Ccre.nonials That Follow the
Death CO the Pcntif:

SOhIHE Ut ~ TIT
Impressive Ccre.nonials That Follow the
Death CO the Pcntif:
When the death of the reigning pope
draws near, tho cardinal secretary of
state informs the dean OF the sacred col
lege, who summons his colleagues to the
residence of the dying man. The car
dinal vicar issues orders that prayers be
offered in the Roman churches; the car
dinal penitentiary attends the bedside OF
the pope, to whom the sacristan of the
pope's chapel administers extreme unc-
ton. AS soon as may be after death has
occurred the body must be formally rec
ognized by the cardinal camerlingo
who. in obedience to an ancient custom,
first knocks thrice on the door of the bed
chamber. Getting 10 answer, he enters
aud taps thrice with silver mallet en-
the dead man s forehead and thrice calls
him by name. No response coming, the
camerlingo declares that the pope is
dead. Thenceforth the camerlingo Is the
most important of the cardinals, having
charge of the preparations for the coli
clave, Of the government OF the palace
and of the transactions with the repre-
sentatives of foreign powers, to whom
he officially announces the pope's death.
The papal guard of Swiss halberdiers
attends him when he goes out; his arms
are stamped Oh the medal of the vacant
see: he takes an inventory of the prop
erty in tho palace and atlixes seals to the
dead pontiffs papers But in order to
prevent him from overs erping his au-
thority the sacred college appoints three
cardinals-a bishop, Il priest and dea-
cor-who are called he heads OF the
orders, and whose business 1t is to over
see his acts They serve for three days,
being replaced by others chosen i'll rota-
ton
Meanwhile the great bell Of the CAPT
tol, the so called "Patcr:ne, y has tolled
the news to the citizens in Rome For
merly this was the signal for unlocking
the iails ard fcr unrcs,raincd disorders.
Brokers ucsd TO set up booths where
pools, as at Il horse race, were sold On
the probable lcxt pope, cncnaous sums
being squandcrCd in this species of
gambling. More recently that scandal
has been less open. Livery enc is On tip
toe with excitement. ChlTchmen rs
we'll as layrgn display IN cagc'ncss out
Of tune with the griaf i'll which the
church is officially declared 70 be
plunged.
For during The novendi;;l, or nine
days succeeding the pope's death, the
celebration Of his obsoQuics and the
mourning fcr his less are supposed TO
absorb universal attention. His body
must first be cmball2ed and then attired
in funeral apparel. When masses have
been said over it i'll the presence OF the
cardinals, it is removed to st. Peters
where, OH Il magnificent catafalque, it
lies in state. Finally, ON the ninth day,
the public funcr;l-onc Of the great
pageants OF the wcrld-talies place, aft
er which the body is cclIiued and laid
away iii the temporary receiving tomb,
TO rest there until, y l:c: The next pope
QltS, II IL lCN' t4NNA t--tS 49, - ~ VI N'''
Peters for permanent burial.
Needless 10 say, the funeral cere-
monies If the noyenGial cause no abate-
mcnt in the preparation for the con-
clave. The day after the pope dies as
many cardinals as happen TO DO in Rome
meet to confer. The Oldest Of their num-
Der, the dean Of the college, presides
They swear to preserve the utmost Sc
crecy concerning all their proceedings
They renew their oaths Of allegiance 10
the holy see, binding themselves TO de-
fend and guard the rights, prerogatiVes
and temporal possessions Of the church
)up to the effusion CT blocd.) Then they
discuss questions Of immediate urgency,
listen to the reading Of the lass govern
ing the election sid hear the Gamer
lingo's report Of lis business. The coll
gregatior re;.sscmbiCs each day, its mcni-
bers being constantly increased by the
arrival OF cardinals from Il distance
William r. TLaver III Century.