Woodville Republican., 1903-07-25
passed and rsrsrsntiy i1nslt ana
Kissed the popes hard.

Of the nCble guard. who were sta
toned AZ every door Of the pontiffs
private apartments. Il being their
privileges and night under the cir
cumstaness to take possession Of the
apartments and guard the body Of
the pope.
Ffnsi scene In Death ckamhen
The Anal scene in the death cham
Der was profoandiy impressive. The
Pope's death having been expected
since noon, his deathbed was saf.
rounded by practically all the mem
bers OF the sacred college now ina
Rome and the whole papal court.
while the pontifF's n%phews remained
In the pspaI library until they re-
cgivcd word from the doctors which
announced that hIs last expiring
breath was approaching. Then they
moved silently within the death
chamber. some standing. some knecl-
ing, ail awaiting the awful moment Of
dissolution.
In the ante-chamber had assembled
the high eccIesiastics. saembers Of the
diplomatic corps and Representatives
Of the papal aristocraey. awaiting the
announcement that the finai moment
had come.
DIR. Lapponi. who almost constantly
had his fingers on the pope's pulse,
felt il become gradually weaker and
weaker, and at the same time the
poDtiffs extremities began to get
cold, his lips became blue, his eyes
sank more deeply into the head. his
breathing became even more difficult,
and there were strange ratings ia
his throat.
Finally, the pope vas asked TO t'ess
his nephews and all the others pres
ent. He attempted TO raise himself,
and the extreme emaeiation Of hts
person, covered with fine nightshirt.
was rendered more pronounced by
the surroundings,
II was a most solemn moment. The
head of the pontif. with its white
skullcap, no whittier thar the fringe
Of sliyery hair. rising above tha
crimson coverlet, his hand raised In
the familiar gesture Of benediction.
the kneeling asSemblsge being too
earnestly absorbed in deep affiicsion,
yeneration and weeping to even make
movement.
Profound silence reigned In ths
pope's bedroom, only broken by the
doctors rising 10 render their expir-
ing patient more comfortable. by the
sobs Of the ever-faithful valet, Pic
Centra. or the murmured prayers Of
Mgr. Pifferi, the papal confessor, him
self - years Of age. who had % be as
sisted TO the bedside.
Prayers Reeited for the Dyiss.
Softly he recited the prayers for
the dying, the pontIf at one moment
appearing to follow them as though
conscious Of what was franspiring,
but he could not speak. Then the dy-
ing pope murmured something 20
himself, In which those bending over
him heard the words: "Father" and
| "Motber."
The last conscious act of the pom.
tiff was 10 turn his eyes toward the
great crucifx on the wall. after
which he suffered from a paroxysm
of choking. during which he passed
away.
Then the silence Of awe-strickca
assemblage was broken by the sonor.
Gus, solemn voice Of Cardinal Serafino
yannutelli, the grand penitentiary
intoning the reguieum aeternam (resi
eternaD.
Outside the death chamber expecta.
ton was intense, but the sight Of the
sorrowing faces Of those leaving the
room was sufficient, without words
TO spread the sad news, which was
mt long in spreading throughout
| Rome.
Occurrences fn Dssth Chamber.
The occurrences in the death
chamber Immediately following tho
pope's demise were Of impressive sol.
emnity.
Couriers had been dispatched 10
summon those who are delegated "a
perform the first religious Offices 10
ward the dead pope, and soon the
chanting Of the Franciscan monks
was heard. as two by two, In coarse
brown habits. and with sandaled feet
they proceeded 10 the room in which
Leo hay dead. From time immemorial
Frsnciseans have been penitentssries
of st. Peters.
Following them came the noble
guard 20 watch over the pontif's re.
mains, the brilliant Of their uniforms
contrasting stTikiDgiy with the som
Der attire Of the quantity gsrbed
monks and the solemn dignity Of the
chamber itself
The only sound heard was the
measured chanting Of the DsaIrns Of
penitence, by a group of monks kneeI.
ing beside the couch Of death. The
noble guards took up positions at the
foot Of the couch and stood by, rigid
and silent as statues, with swords
drawn.
The death chamber preserved much
the same appearance a. II did at tha
time Of the final illness ~ the pope
Across the middle Of the room bgDs
heavy draperies, partly eoneealiDg
the bed on which lay the silent form
Of the dead pontiG. BY the side of
the lew bed burned . number os can
dies, and from above looked down the
picture Of the Madonna, with the in
fant Christ in her arms.
Leo's desk was closed. but some %
the books On religious topics which
be kept, remained on II.
The body lay exactly as 1t was IT
the moment Of the pope's last expir-
ing breath. 4 white veil was thrown