The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1903-07-27
BODY OF POPE LEO LIES
IN STATE IN ST. PETERS.

TN , | "A Z nv y |, EHo.
| Rome. July 22-Tonight the body Of
Leo XIII lies in state in the basilica Of
ST Peter. beginning tomorrow at sun
! rise the people of Rome and those Of all
! nations NOW in the Eternal city will he
/ admitted to pay their last farewell Or
nortunj.v for this solemn tribute will end
Saturday.
At 8 o'clock this evening all was in
i readiness to take the body Of the pope
/ from the vatican to the basilica Of St.
Peter
The nournful procession gathered
around the bier. which was gently lifted
by- those who in the lifetime Of Leo XIII
/ had carried him If. the sedia gestato'la-
( The dead pontif was now clad In ali the
! pornp Of his holy office. About MIN haa
been placed the sacerdotal ropes nsea
/ only when he celebrated grand mass
! The vestments we're those which he wore
/ for the last time In life in the hall
/ Of the consistory when he confirmed the
aDnoir,tments of Archbishop Farley. OF
! New York. and Archbishop Quigley OF
J Chicago. on June %, last The golden
! inter. the gilded stile the white cope
/ the red chasuble, the pontihcal paliiUhl
and the papal tunlc, all were there Noln-
4 ing which was emblematic Of the p0"-
/ er welded by the dead man for more
/ man a a,1arter of a century and for cen
! turtles by his predecessors had been
omitted
/ Of the throne room came the gTo0Ins
/ carving lighted torches. Behind them,
walking with measured tread. were the
I aged macebearers and other domesucs
! of the papal household. The Drocessifas
of the noble guard ard all the CLERGY
of the vatican, wearing their surpiices
! followed Immediately in front Of the bier
! the pontifcal silver cross was held aloft.
| Behind the bier came the three naphews
, OF the late pope, Count Ricardo and Call
| 10 Pecci and Count Canarli. Mgr Thorn
as Kennedy. the rector OF the American
| college. rep1 esented the United States In
| the procession.
Air Heavy with Incense.
The air was heavy with incense from
the consors swinging constantly beside
the body. The Franciscan penitentiaricz
| still kept up the unceasing refrain Of IN
| terceSsion.
At the ha1t Of Palafraniere the cortege
| came to a standstilI There tho cardinals
| who bad been waiting In the hall Of tho
! consstory took their places Immediately
been put aside for the violet robes, which
are only worn when princes of the church
are in mourning.
Once more the procession with the bier
now thanked by the Swiss guards moved
on. After the cardinals came the whole
diplomatic body accredited to the vatican
| and the representatives of the Knights
of Malta. The latter We're followed by
the marshal of the conclave Prince Chigi,
| the master of the holy hospice. Prince
Ruspon, and the commander Of the no
Bile guards. Prince Rospigliosi, all III mag
nificent uniforms.
Then came the prelates os the chamber
and knights of the cape and sword in
their medieval Spanish robes The noble
and Swiss palatine guards brought up the
rear.
No monarch was ever followed to the
tomb oy more imposing array. Led by
the cardinals and preateS and clergy
prayers and psalms tor the dead were
recited as they slowly entered the Sis
tine chapel where the chapter and cler-
gy of ST. Peters awaited the procession
Inc latter formally received and took
possession of the body. The torch, mace
and cross bearers started forward giving
an opportunity to the chapter to take
up q position Immediately preceding The
bier,
The final stage of bearing the "pris-
oner Of the vatican" to his resting place
then commenced.
Holy Water on Corpse.
From the Sistine chapel the process
sion wound out around the loggia I'm
iiAoi by tNdplldSi, eHClTCleU tRe COUAt
of San Damaso and descended the pri-
waite staircase, still chanting, into ths
basilica.
The moment the iaring torches which
still led the cortege entered st. Peter.
the choir. which was waiting there, com
menced to sing in sorrowful cadence.
"Libera Me Domino" Slgnor Carcau
the canon of St. Peter. solemniy sprtnE
led holy water over Leo's body and
pronounced absolution. AS 1t was borna
across the threshold the cathedral choir
still singing, took the lead of the now
lengthy procession, The intense silence
which prevailed was broken only by the
chanting which echoed and reechoed from
the huge dome and deserted aisles of the
chapes as the body was borne down
the nave to the chapel of the sacrament
There candles burned brightly In TINS
chapelle ardente the body was reverent-
ly stretched behind the iron gates and
two members of the noble guard took
up positions on either side of the bier
The procession then reformed and re
turned to the vatican, leaving the oodE
of Leo XIII in the greatest church II
the world, alone except for the faitA-
full guard and peniten tiaries whose pray
ers could be heard in the immediate "
cinity of the chapel sacrament. Through
out the remainder of the vast basilica
silence reigned
The body of the dead pope rests tonight
on the high catafalque with his slipper
ed feet prottuding through the gates 70
be kissed by the faithful when they VIII
be admitted to the chapel tomorrow and
the following days.
Viewing the Body.
Until O'clock this afternoon the body
of the pope lay in the throne room OF
the vatican. During the day all the dipo-
mats accredited to the vatican. the Ro-
man princes. dukes harons and other
representatives Of ancient families re-
naming faithful to the papacy. all the
high dignitaries of the church, the arch
bishops, bishops patriarchs and heads of
the religious orders. passed In solemn