The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-08-11
ONLY A. POOR MORTAL
PIUs x. ASKS FOB PRAYERS OF
 .VENETIANs.
Ceremony of the Coronation of the PontiR Took Place Sunday
 in the Bas.44ca of
 St. Peter'9.

Rome. Aug. fo.-Pius x had another fa- tiguing day as he received all the deiega- tons which had come to Rome to attend the coronation ceremonies, He accorded a. lengthy audience to about 800 from Venice. receiving them in the clementine HaIl.
 The PontifT allowed all the members ot the delegation to kiss his hand and called by name those whom he knew just as he had when he met them formerly in Venice. He said to them:
 T am a poor mortal. too weak for the heavy cross which God has given me. But Ills will be done. will carry it as best can and you must pray to our Lord to give me the necessary strength g
 His old Venetian friends agree that the Pope looks ten years older than he did before his election. but that his affable and simple manner had not changed.
 The ceremony of the coronation of Pope Plus x took place yesterday in the Ba- silica of St. Peters in the presence of the princes and high dignitaries of the church. diplomats and Roman nobles and with all the solemnity and splendor as- sociated with this. the most magnificent rite of the Roman Catholic Church.
 As Cardinal Machl. the dean of the cardinal deacons placed the triple crown on the head of the venerable Pontiff, the throng of 10000 persons gathered within the cathedral burst into unrestrained &C., clamations, the choir intoned a hymn of triumph. and the bells of Rome rang out a joyful peal.
 It is hfty-seven years since the Ro- mans and Europe assisted in such a func- ton ass was held in St. Peters yester- day.
 The great Basilica. popularIy supposed never to have been quito full. was over flowing with humanity. The papal throne. a bewildering mixture of sold. red and silver. was erected in the front of the high altar. As contrary to cus- tom. on the ceremontous occasion. there were no galleries. the BasilIca bore more of it's normal aspect. On the altar, which silver gilt candlesticks and a magnificent crucifix.
 Inside the Vatican palace there was movement and bustIe as the papal pro- cesSion, composed of about 800 persons all of whom had gathered early in the apostolic palace, was formed The Pope seemed to be the only tranquil one among them all. He rose unusually early and took stroll in the vatican garden. Then he allowed himself to be dressed by the cardinals. He evinced no nervousness and even said tokingly to tho master of cere- monies. who the other day suggested that he should use the plural form in speaking of himself we feel very we'll this morning. but we may feel different on returning from our coronation"
 Just before entering Ine sedIa Resta- toria, he asked for his spectacles, and when the master of ceremonies discreet ly hinted that his holiness would look better without them. he said: T have no desire to appear what am not" and he wore them during the entire cere- mony.
 The procession was a long time In get ting under way but afterwards when 1t moved through the magnificent halls and corridors of the Vatican, 1t recalled form CT days when all was color and pictur- sequences within the palace. The central figure fin the long procession was Plus x. His heavy white robes and the red and gold mitre were worn without an effort making a vivid contrast to those mem orable occasions on which Pope Leo XIII wore them. for Leo seemed always un- able to support their weight. Over the pontiffs head. a canopy was held by eight men. while the historic ostrich feather fans with peacock tips. gave a touch of barbaric splendor.
 Before leaving the Vatican the Pope went to the Sistine Chapel to worship be- core the sacrament exposed therein, then passed through the sala regia and the Constantine staircase into the portico of the basilica. He there seated himself on a throne erected directly before the holy door. and with seats around for the mem bers of the sacred college. the chapter of St. Peters, and the papal court, at the right of the throne stood Prince orsini. the assistant tos the papal throne, who withdrew his recent resignation of the post in order to participate at the func- tion. Immediately beside the Pope were the ma1or-domo, Monsignor casiano. the