The Irish standard., 1903-08-01
Preparations Being Made for Conclave Which
Will Choose the Next Head Of the
Catholic Church.
Cardinal Moran of Australia May Not Reach
Rome in Time to Participate in the
Election of Pope.

Rome, July 25.-The body of Pope
Leo was inferred in St. Peters tonight
The stroke of the hammer which
sounded through the immense dome OF
the cathedral announced to the earnest
gathering in the nave that Leo XIII
had been laid to rest At sundown the
most important and most solemn Of all
the obsequies took place. The front
doors of the basilica We're closed, and
the vast church, except for row of
lights at the shrine of st. Peter. the
candles about the bier and those per-
sons who had quietly and with the ut
most reverence, gathered there, ap-
peared deserted. About 1000 persons
had received invitations to attend the
ceremonies. The cardinals, who met
earlier in the vatican, entered the
chapel choir, waiting there for the ar
rival of the procession, Cardinal Greg
liza, the camerlenga, holding the keys
of command. Through special permis-
sion representative of the Associa ted
Press was allowed to enter the chapel
of the sacrament before the remains of
the dead pontiff were removed. Cardi-
nal Rampolla, as archpriest of the
basilica, was awaiting outside the
gates, in violet robes, surrounded by
the chapter Of the cathedral, which
was led by Monsignor Cepetelli, who
conducted the services. Drs. Lapponi
and Mazzoni directed the work of the
removal of the bier, which was eXecut-
ed by eight sediari or pope's carriers,
attired in their brilliant red robe cos
tunes. At first they tried to raise the
bier, but finding it too heavy, they
slowly slid it onto a low car with noise
less wheels. Then, to the strains of
''NIiserere," which walled through the
lofty church, and preceded by gilt
tering cross held aloft, the procession,
carrying candles and torches, slowly
left the chapel and went up the church,
passing the bronze statue and beyond
the shrine Of st. Peter. Those gather
ed fell to their knees. st. Peters is
peculiarly fitted to be the background
of such scene. The cold whiteness
of her vast pillars showed up the
bright uniform of her guards, the
violet robes of the clergy and the bier,
while the Pickering light of the cand-
les made the funeral procession the
only visible object and rendered the
obscurity beyond and behind it more
noticeable. After SLOW progress
around the church, the sad cortege az
rived at the chapel choir. the bier be-
ing so carried that the dead pope ell
rered head first, according to the cere-
lnonlal, the chapel from semi-obscurity
flashing into the brillancy of the sud
denly turned-in electric light. Here
all those who had received invitations
We're stopped, remaining i'll the main
part Of the basilica behind a double
line of the Swiss Guards in their Pc
culiar yellow, red and black uniforms
and armed with halberds and serpen-
fine swords. Within the chapel was
Count Camille Pecci, nephew Of the
jate pope, wearing the red uniform of
a general of the castle guard. In the
chapel the music changed to notes Of
Joy and triumph and "In Paradisum'
rang out with telling effect. From the
outside the five bells of St. Peters rang
their accustomed salute to the coming
night. mingling harmoniously with the
music of the choir. The scene in the
chapel was most remarkably effective.
The bier bearing the body was receiv,
ed by Cardinal Oreglia. 1t was placed
in the center, backed by an altar with
a beautiful image of the madonna, be-
fore which We're burning four i'm
mense candles in silver staffs. Around
the two sides of tile chapel in the
choir seats We're thirty-six cardinals,
all wearing violet robes. except Car
dinals Gotti and Pierotti who wore
the black mantles of the orders, Car
dinal Martinella as an Augustinian and
Cardinal Wives v Tuto, in Franciscan
brown. In the middle of the right side
of the chapel, among the cardinals,