The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-07-27
REQUIEM SERVICE.
POntifical Mass Held at Church
of the Assumption.
Prayers for Repose of Soul of
Pope Leo.
CHURCH IN MOURNING
The Affairs Are Draped With
Heavy Grape.
GregOrian Chant IntOned by
Father f. NJ. Hayden.

The pontifical requiem mass was cele-
brated at the Church of the Assumption
at the corner of Eighth and Jackson
streets this morning for the repose of
the soul of Pope Leo XIII.
The service was impressive in the ex-
treme and the devotion to the memory
/ of Pope Leo on the part of the people
who subscribe to the Catholic faith was
strikingly illustrated by the crowded
condition of the church.
From the high pulpit the Rev. Father
Hayden intoned the mass which was
taken up and carried through the SER
vice by the choir and the congregation
The service continued for an hour. be-
ginning at $3.50 o'clock this morning and
lasting until $50 o'clock over the
affairs and around the entire interior of
the church was draped the heavy Grape
signifying the mourning which the
church is observing for Pope Leo. No
other decorations were to be seen in the
building. The Grape has been exhibited
ever since the death of the pope. The
picture of his holiness and bust are
also in mourning.
The Gregorian chant, used in the OBJ
servance OF the pontidcal requiem mass,
is the simplest form of music used in
the Catholic church. 1t is also perhaps
the oldest music that is in use a the
present day, being simply the repetition
of prayers for the soul of the deceased
in the measured tone of the chant.
Pope Gregory l, of the sixth century, il
credited with the conception of this
style of church music, which in most
particulars is the same as the Anglican
chant common in the services of the
Protestant church. The words of the
mass are the same as those used in
other masses for the dead. The liturgy
of the Roman church provides no spe~
cial service for the death of the pope.
Standing in his pulpit before the con.
gregation Rev. Father Hayden. clad
in dark flowing robes, intoned the first
taken UP by the choir. In its turn the
congregation, from opened prayer
books, repeated the responses.
Prayers for the soul of Pope Leo were
offered in every Catholic church in this
diocese today, the service at the Church
of the Assumption beings the only ser
vice of the kind in Topeka. The con-
gregation of the ST. Joseph German
Catholic church at the corner of Third
and Van Buren, street sWelied the num-
hers of the attendance at the older
church over which Rev. Father Hayden
presides. Simple clothing becoming the
mourner, prevailed in the church this
morning. and the congregation main
tanned q. very respectful attention to the
service. That more elaborate services
should not be held to do honor to the
memory of a deceased pope seems rath-
er unusual but the occasion is, in fact.
marked with one OIL the SlInpleSL SER
vices in the ritual.
The great thought of the Roman
churchman is the supremacy of the
church itself and the personality of the
Pope is but detail the alteration of
which is theoretically not given the ut
most concern. AS a matter of fact few
services ever held in the Church of the
Assumption were marked with a greater
devotion or conducted with more real
sincerity than the requiem mass for
Pope Leo The real love entertained for
him by the Catholic church goers of this
parish was fully testified by it.
Just previous to this mornings SER
vice, beginning at O'Clock. the bell at
the Church of the Assumption was toll
ed for 80 minutes. The bell will contin
ue to be tolled at a. m, IL o'clock,
noon, and p. m, for period of 80
days.
The sermon preached by Rev. Father
Hayden, before the congregation at the
Church of the Assumption Sunday
morning, was devoted to a study Of the
life and work of Pope Leo. The social
and intellectual surroundings of Leo
previous to entering the church were
dwelt upon and a painstaking review of
his achievement and service was given.
There was no other observance of the
death of the pope during Sunday.