The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-06-20
CEREMONIAL THAT FOLLOWS
THE DEATH OF THE POPE.

When the death of the reigning Pope
draws near, the cardinal secretary of
state informs the dean of the Sacred
College, who summons his colleague to
the residence of the dying man; the
Cardinal near issues orders that pray
ers be offered in the Roman churches;
the Cardinal penitentiary attends the
bedside of the Pope, to whom the sac
ristan Of the Pope's chapel administers
extreme JUNCTION. AS soon as may be
after death has occurred, the body must
be recognized by the Cardinal Gamer
lingo, who in obedience to an ancient
custom, first knocks thrice on the door
of the bed chamber. Getting no answer,
he enters, and taps thrice with silver
mallet on the dead mans 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 prepar-
ations for the conclave, of the govern
ment of the palace, and of the transac-
tions with the representatives 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 on the
medal Of the vacant see; he takes an in
ventory of the property in the palace
and affixes seals to the dead pontiff's
paper. But in order to prevent him
from overstepping his authority the
Sacred College appoints three Cardinals
"a bishop. priest and deacon-who
are called the Heads of the Orders, and
whose business it is to oversee his acts.
Meanwhile the great bell of the Cap
itol, the so-called 'Paterine," has tolled
the news to the citizens in Rome. For
merly this was the signal for unlocking
the jails and for unrestrained disorders.
Brokers used to set up booths where
pools, as at horse race, were sold on
the probable next Pope. enormous sums
being squandered in this species of gam
bling; more recently that scandal has
been less open. Every one is on tiptoe
with excitement; churchmen as we'll as
laymen display an eagerness out of tune
with the grief in which the church is Of
ticially declared to be plunged.
For during the novendial, or nine
days succeeding the Popes death the
celebration of his obsequies and the
mourning for his loss are supposed to
absorb universal attention. His body
must first be embalmed and then attired
in funeral apparel. When masses have
been said over it in the presence of the
Cardinals, it is removed to st. Peters,
where, on a magnificent catafalque, it
lies in state.
Finally, on the ninth day. the public
funeral-one of tb q great pageants of the
world-takes place, after which the
body is coffined and laid away in the
temporary receiving tomb to rest there
until, when the next Pope dies, it is low
cred into the crypt of st. Peters for per-
manent burial.
Needless to say, the funeral ceremo-
MES Of the novendial cause no abate.
ment in the preparation for the conclave.
The day after the Pope dies as many
Cardinals as happen to be in Rome meet
to confer. The oldest of their number,
the dean of the college, presides; they
swear to preserve the utmost secrecy
concerning all their proceedings; they