The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-07-26
POPE CARRIED TO His TOMB.
FINAL SOLEMN CEREMONY OVER
LEO NILS BODY.
Put In the Niche I'm 81. Peters. where tho
Body OF Plus TX. Rested for Many
Years Diplomatists Accredited to tho
vatican Make Formal Call ON Cardinals.
Special caots Despatch to THE sun.

vatican Make Formal Call ON Cardinals.
!spset1t Cabs Despatch to THE SUN.
From THE SUN Correspondent at Rome.
ROME, July 25.--After obsequies oonse-
Grated by the usage OF centuries, Leo XIII.
was inrnured tonight In the niche OF ST.
Peters which has been the temporary rest
ing place of many Popes. Among the
funerals Of great men, including sovereigns
and Presidents of several countries, which
have witnessed within two deoades, this
was unique and modern.
The pageantry OF death is always inpos-
ing This was both medieval and modern
II is pity that it was not kept entirely
medieval, according to the traditions Of
the Church. as was done in 1878, when Plus
TX. was entombed. at midnight In the vast.
empty cathedral. amid a gloom which was
broken only by the torches borne by the
mourning prciates.
Tonight 1000 spectators pressed around
the bearers of Leo's bier. and great clusters
Of electric lights blazed over the scene.
Few only could enter the choir chsnoel,
where the principal ceremonies were held.
There was no solemnity among the thou
sands who remained in the nave, awaiting
the entombment. They exchanged the
gossip Of Rome, and the noise Of their voices
drowned the majestic requiem that was
sung by st. Peters mntchless choir. Yet
II was a memorable spectacle. belonging
10 another age. whose impressiveness could
not be destroyed even by modern irrever-
ence.
Soon after 9 O'Clock Cardinal Oreglia,
the Camerlengo, attended by the Vatican
prelates. net his brother Cardinals in the
vestry Of St. Peters. They were followed
by the chapter Of the clergy of the cathedral
to the choir chapel, in tho centre Of which
there he'd been placed three collins. The
Cardinals took seats on the extreme right
and left. They were clad in violet robes,
with the customary red caps. The vicar
of the chapter, in a black cone and white
mitre. advanced to the smallest of the three
collins. Of cypress wood. and solemnly
blessed and sprinkled it with holy water.
Meantime three Cardinals, the chaplains
Of the Basilica and a portion Of the choir.
bearing torches, proceeded to the Chapel
Of the Holy Sacrament on the opposite
side Of the Cathedral. where the body Of
the Holy Father still lay. There the Swiss
Guards, in their magnificent uniforms,
who had been on post for three days, stood
In a solid phalanx before the gates. On
the approach Of the procession they fell
back and the gates swung open. The bier
was then lowered and the body was de-
livered to the clergy.
The short procession reformed and the
bier WAS taken up by the Noble and Swiss
Guards, the Confraternity OF the Holy
Sacrament folio wing with lighted tapers
AS the procession started there rang out
the solemn, Overwhelming notes of the
'Missrere," such as can be heard nowhere
save in st. Peters.
Dusk was falling as the slow march began
and 1t was an impressive moment. Silence
fell for an instant upon the assembled
throng, There was no circuit Of the ca
thedral according to the ancient CUSTOM
but the line passed slowly in front OF the
great altar Of St. Peter and then direct
to the choir chapel, where the members Of
the Sacred College awaited It,. The bier
was reverently placed beside the waiting
coffin, The body was clad as since it was
placed in the throne room on Wednesday.
The ravages Of death were only too evil
dent.
The ceremony OF preparing the body
for the grave proceeded as quietly as pos
sible, Members OF the Noble Guard
wrapped 1t in winding sheet and placed
il in the cypress coffin. Major-domo
Cagiano placed a mantle Of white silk over
the face and hands and then put in the foot
Of the coffin velvet bag containing gold,
silver and bronze medals which had been
struck annually during the pontifcate OF
the late Pope.
CARDINAL Vannutelli as the senior Cardinal
present who had been created by Pope
Leo XIII, advanced to the coffin bearing
white metal tube containing parchment
on which were inscribed notes Of the late
Pontif's principal encyclicals and brief
record Of his pontificate. This was placed
beside the body.
A second drapery or winding sheet OF
red silk was now spread over the body,
the lid was placed over all and screwed
down and the body was then technically
delivered to the chapter Of St. Peter it's
chief giving a receipt to the Cardinal dean.
The representatives OF the chapter then
lifted the coffin into another massive casket
Of lead, on which were inscribed the name
and armorial bearings Of the dead Pope.
his age and the date of his death.
Artisans who were present then carefully
soldcred over the cover of this coffin until
1t had been Theoretically closed. Then
II was locked up by the Camerlengo and
major-domo once more. The double coffin
wa lifted this time and placed in the third.
which was of elm. This In turn was screwed
down and sealed by the Camerlengo and
Cardinal Rampolla az archpriest Of st.
Peters, the m 4jor-domo and the dean OF
the chapter.
These formalities occupied more than
an hour. While they were proceeding,
prayers had been constantly recited and
the choir sang the litany.
Night had fallen, but before the body
went into the cathedral for immurement.
The cathedral was brilliantly Illuminated.
Inc entombing took place in niche fifteen
teet high over door Just to the left OF
the entrance to the chapel where the fore
going ceremonies were enacted. The full
Choir and many Of the clergy, bearing
torches and t..pers, accompanied the body,
nut the Cardinals withdrew to the side
entrance Of tho chapel.
The niche had been empty since the
body Of Plus TX. was removed therefronl
IN 1881. Before il stood an ordinary work
mans derrick with a tackle and fall. The