The Irish standard., 1903-07-25
Closing Scenes at Vatican During Last Hours
of Dying Pontff Described by
Faithful Attendants.
Whole World Acknowledges the Greatness
Of Leo and People Of All Climes
Extol His Virtues.

Rome, July 2O.-Pope Leo XIII ia
dead. The last flicker of life expired
at four minutes past o'clock this af-
ternoon and the pontiff now lies at
rest. The period OF over two weeks
that Pope Leo passed in the shadow
of death was no less wonderful than
his life. His splendid battle against
disease was watched the world over
with sympathetic admiration and end
ed only after series Of tremendous
efforts to conquer the weakness of his
aged frame by the marvellous will
power of his mind. The pleuro-pneu-
monia with which his holiness had
been suffering was scarcely so respon,
sible for his death as that inevitable
decay of tissue which ensues upon
ninety-three years of life. The tested
steel which had bent so often before
human ills was bound to break at
last. Tonight the emaciated and life.
less frame which held so brave
spirit lies on the bed in the vatican
beside which almost all the world has
prayed. The red damask coverlet
rests lightly over the body, the car
dinals' scarlet cape is about the shoul-
ders, while on his head has been plac-
ed the papal hood of velvet bordered
chief is bound about his chin and in
the hands, which have blessed so many
thousands, has been placed crucifiX.
His was no easy death. An hour be-
fore he died, turning to DIR. Lapponi
and his devoted valet, Pio Centra, he
murmured, 'The pain 1 suffer is most
terrible" Yet, his parting words were
not of the physical anguish that he
suffered, but were whispered benedic-
tions upon the cardinals and his
nephews, who knelt at the bedside,
and the last look of his almost sight
less eyes was toward the great ivory
crucifiX hanging in the death chamber.
Practically all the cardinals now in
Rome, llneeling at the bedside, watch
ed the passage of his SOUL Earlier
in the day Cardinal Serafino Vannu-
telli had impressively pronounced the
absolution in articulo mortis. The
condition of his holiness varied from
agony to coma. Wishing to relieve
him, DR.. MazZoni suggested that NOR
phine be administered, but DR.. Lap
poni did not agree, fearing that the
end might be quickened. OF this su-
preme moment DR.. Lapponi gives an
impressive description. He said:
'Death occurred through exhaustion,
although in the, last two hours Pope
Leo made a supreme effort to gather
together all his energies. He sue
ceeded in recognizing those about him
by the sound of their voices, as his
sight was almost lost. His death was
really grand. 1t was resigned, calm
and serene. Very few examples cun
be given of a man of such advanced
age, after so exhaustive an illness,
showing such supreme courage in dy-
ing. The pontiff's last breath was
taken exactly at four minutes past 4.
] approached a lighted candle to his |
mouth three times, according to the
traditional ceremonies, and afterward
declared the pope to be no more.
then went to inform Cardinal Oreglia,
the dean of the sacred college, who
Immediately assumed full power and
gave orders that the vatican be clear
ed Of all curious persons having no
right to be therein. Contemporane-
ously the cardinal instructed Mgr.
Righi, master of ceremonies, to send
the Swiss guards from the Clementine
hall to close all the entrances to the
vatican and dismiss all persons from
the death chamber, the body being
entrusted to the Franciscan peniten-
tiaries." Meantime, events Of mo-
mentous Importance to Catholic chris
tendon were occurring. The death of
Pope Leo meant the passing Of the
supreme power into the hands Of the
sacred college of cardinals as its tent
porary custodian during the interreg,
num-. The perfect administrative ma
chinery of the church provided against