Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1903-07-08
POPE C[INGS TO life.
But His Death, it is Thought, is
Very Near.
The Solemn and Gorgeous Ceremony
Of Administering the Last saera-
ment Took Place at the Bed
side Of the Oontiff.

ment Took Place at the Bed
side Of the Oentiff.
the life Of the veneral pontin, Pope
Leo. hangs by q thread, the excite
ment and perturbation which prevails
within the vatican Ia intense. While
the illustrious patient lies In q quiet
| chamber, assiduously' and affection
ately watched and attended by his
favorite physician, DR.. Lapponi, and
| his trusted valet, PiocentTa, the rest
| Of the vast palace Is in a state OF
continual unrest. kilograms are fol-
| lowing each other in quick success
sion from foreign powers. high
| church digntaries or individuals. ana
are being read and answered by
busy staff OF secretaries. Carriages
are driving up necessarily to tho
court of st. Damaso. in which the
| apartments of the pope open.
| The exact definition of the Pope's
| illness is senile adynamic pneumonia,
but his holiness has not the least idea
that he is attacked by any organic
| disease.
During the afternoon the strength
of the pontiff began to fail him 80
rapidly and his condition became SO
critical that it appeared that only a
| few hours of his life remained to
| him. 1t was, therefore, deemed wise
TO advise him of his grave condition,
and this was done with tender pre-
| caution. Pope Leo was thus prepared
| for his last communion. which was
| administered Sunday night with tho
participation of all the cardinals now
| ir Rome and the whole of the ponti.
| fetal court
The solemn yet gorgeous ceremony
| of administering the last sacrament
| took place at the bedside of Pope .eo.
The central figure was the dying pom
tiff, whose long LIES journey is nearly
over, calmly preparing to enter the
| dark valley. His pale and emaciated
| face, almost as white as the pillows
or which it rested, showed little sign
| of life except the keen glittering eyes,
always his most striking feature
| Around t1e bed were grouped tho
| noble guards in their glittering uni
| forms. the knights Of the cloak and
sword in their picturesque medieval
| costume Of black with white ruffs. %
| cardinals, all TIE members of the sa-
| cred college who are present in Rome,
stately and venerable figures in their
| sweeping crimson robes; the whole
| forming a scene OF rich. yet subdued
colo'ink. fit subject for the pencil OF
| Rembrandt. The wAoie of what is
called the pontifcal family, headed by
| Cardinal Rampolla and including all
the private chamberlains. were there
| Nearest to the bed stood the impos-
ing. tall figure of the Cardinal Grand
| Penitentiary, Serafno Vannuttelli,
| with the pope's Confessor. to hear the
last confession of the departing pom
tiff. T1en the priest apostolic APP
| pi cached bearing the vasticum to give
| the last communion and another the
| extreme JUNCTION. assisted by the grand
| penitcntiary Pope Leo feebly recitei
| the confession of faith. as formulated
| by the council of Trent. and finally the
| words OF abSolution and the formula
| of indulgence in Articulo Mortis were
| solmenly pronounced by the grand
| penitentiary. The heads of the great
/
| granted the pope the special indul-
! gonccs which they have the privilege
| of comforting. Then came the touch
| ing prayers for a passing soul and
| part of the gospel. the Lords passion.
| As the last words died away. all fell
| on their knees. The pontiff. raising
his almost transparent fingers with Z
! feeble effort. pronounced in scarcely
audible words his benediction on the
sacred college and on all present and
| then sank back on the pillows. Thcrs
| was scarcely a fearless eye in the
| whole asscmblage
At a m. Monday. though lowering
on the brink Of death. the life of the
Dontiff was still prolonged by means
| Of strong stimulants and concentrated
| nourishnient, and while he is still bare.
| ly alive his wonderful vitality may
| again resist and conquer the attack Il
this illness. Late Sunday evening aft
or the excitement of the ceremony of
the last sacraments was over. the pope
seemed less restless. partly soothed
| by the religious service and partly by
a dose Of choral. which was given to
him in considerable quantity
The pontln is lying on a small bed
drawn up to window overlooking tho
| piazza of St Peters. The only picture
in the room is an antique madonna
and the sole ornament a great ivory
crucihx