Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1903-07-24

and offers a silent prayer. Rising, the
white cloth is removed by the attend
ants, and he strikes the forehead of
the dead three times with a silver
hammer, repeating at each stroke the
Giacchino, Giacchino, Giacchino! ~
and then turning to those present
says, "The Pope is indeed dead" All
kneeiing, he recites the De Profun-
dis with the prayer Of absolutiou,
and sprinkles the corpse with holy
water. The master of the chamber
then approaches and takes from the
finger of the dead Pope the Fisher
mans Ring, the special symbol OF
authority, and hands it to the cham
berlain. The ceremonies at the death
bed are concluded by the reading by a
prothonotary of the formal record OF
the decease of the Pope required by
both ecclesiastical and civil law.
From the presence OF the cor rpse the
chamberlain now proceeds to another
apartment and there announces to the
assembled officials of various orders
the news OF the Pope's death. Orders
are issued at the same time for the
notification of the cardinals. and for
the conclave. While these official
duties are being performed the body
of the Pope is prepared for the funeral
rites. 1t is first embalmed, the viscera
being placed in marble urn and con-
veyed at once to the basement of
st. Peters Cathedral.
When the embalming is completed
the corpse is clothed in full papal
vestments and exhibited to all in the
vatican. 1t is then removed for the
night to the Sistine Chapel, and on
the next to st. Peters, its final des.
tination, where it is placed on a large
catafalque about which twelve tapers
of yellow wax are lighted. For nine
successive days high mass is sung
each day while the dead Pope lies in
State, the last three days being known
as the great funeral services" and
on the ninth day the eulogy over the
dead is pronounced. The provisional
burial takes place on the third day
after the conclusion OF these obsequies.
These burial rites prescribed by law
or tradition were not observed in the
case of the death OF Plus TX. There
were serious fears of popular tumult
and owing to existing political condi.
tions there was some apprehension
that the Italian Government might
interfere with the obssquies. The
body Of Plus TX. was therefore moved
at once and by night to St. Peters.
The obsequies lasted but eight days,
and the burial took place OH the
fourth day after the conclusion Of the
obsequies. This departure from an
cient custom and law created much
discussion and surprise, some going so
far as to question the validity OF the
election OF Leo XIII. on this account.
There is nothing, however, in the
present state of Italy to warrant any
departure from time.honored proceed
ure.
At the first entombment on the
third day after the puplic ceremonies,
the relatives of the Pope, the Cardinals
created by the dead Pope, his immed-
late household and the chamberlain
are present, although cases are not
wanting OF . wider invitation. The
monks of st. Peter form in procession
and singing the Miserere" the cort.
age passes through the side nave of the
Cathedral to the place of sepulture.
Here follows a long, tedious and
minute ceremonial, the reciting of the
particulars of which would be weari.
some. The burial service ended, the
body is lowered into it's temporary
resting place until the permanent
mausoleum can be prepared.