The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1903-07-24
PASSING OF THE POPE.
Most Remarkable Man Of His Time
Elements of Church and State.

| Leo reposes in the chamber where
his last death struggle took place.
which, for the time being, has been
transformed into mortuary chapel.
Beside the bed a small altar has
been raised, on which flicker six
candles, surrounding a figure of
Christ hanging on the cross. The
chanting of penitential psalms goes
on increasingly, one group of kneel-
ing Franciscans succeeding another
in the performance of this holy Of
fee.
| MARKING DEMISE OF THE POPE.
In the meantime began the series
Of impressive ceremonies marking
the demise of the Pope and the
initial preparations for the choice
OF his successor. The most solemn
ceremony was the gathering of the
Cardinals of the Sacred College in
Leo's death chamber to officially
pronounce the Pontiff dead. This
was followed by the historical cere-
mony of the removal of the Fisher
mans ring. These ceremonies were
carried out with the accompaniment
of all that stately pomp marking
the rituals for a deceased Pope.
Beyond the performance of these
final offices to the dead, attention
is now being turned to the prepa-
ratlons for the approaching con-
clave. The present expectation is
that the conclave will begin about
August l.
Cardinal Oreglia, Dean of the
Sacred College, to-day called to-
gether his colleagues for the first
time to take part in formal con-
ference.
The Cardinals who were absent
from Rome at the time of the Popes
death are arriving here from all di-
rectiors. Cardinal Gibbons is ex-
pected on Wednesday morning.
Late this afternoon the body of
Pope Leo was embalmed and clothed
in full pontiicial robes, prepara-
tory to the funeral obsequies. The
day broke amid thunder, lightning
and a deluge of rain, but the down
pour was of short duration, then
the clouds broke and the sun shone
on the striken city.
SIMPLE EMBLEMs OF GRIEF.
Through the night and early
morning many simple emblems of
grief had been displayed, but the
main thoroughfares did not present
a spectacle of universal mourning.
No flags were half masted and no
buildings were shrouded in crepe,
as when temporal rulers pass away.
The Corso and other busy centers
presented the usual scenes of ami
nation. 1t was in the poorer sec
tions of the city the evidences of
grief were more manifest. Along
the side streets many small shops
were closed and their fronts bore
large printed placards, edged heavi-
ly with black, having the sign of
the cross above and the words,
"Chiuso per Lutto mondiale,"
meaning "Closed for the worlds
mourning" Entering the Borgo
district, leading to the Vatican, the
hum of excitement attending the
event was more apparent. A steady
line of carriages, bearing Cardinals,
other church dignitaries and diplo-
mats, swung through the narrow
lane, called the Via Borgo, leading
to the piazza of st. Peters. Along
the way many shops were closed,
and the streets were filled with
motley Roman throng-peasant
women, wearing quaint silken head
gear; dark-skinned Roman beau
ties; groups of dirty, disheveled
monks, with bare feet; fruit vend
ers, hawkers, donkey carts, market
women, nuns, ragged urchins and
beggars. Through this human
tangle wended simple funeral
hearse with two carriages. The
exposed casket was piled high with
beautiful flowers.
DIR. MAzzoNI RECOGNIZED,
Among the throng DR.. Mazzo i
was recognized coming from the
Vatican in chance cab. He looked
pale and jaded after his weeks of
work with DR.. Lapooni at Pope
Leo's bedside. Coming to the pi-
,11o Of O. Datar'C a Sceua of vIta1 |