New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-08-09

was crowned, brief description of the cere-
mony which takes place to-day at Rome may be
of timely interest.
There seems to be a general impression that
Popes crown themselves, since by reason Of
their exalted rank no is qualified to place
the tiara on their heads. This is not the case,
for the Pope is crowned by a member of the
Sacred College, who is not cardinal bishop,
not even cardinal priest. but merely car
dnaI deacon 1t was Cardinal Boromeo who
crowned Leo XIII. 1t is to Cardinal Macchi,
now the senior of the cardinal deacons. to whom
will fall to-day the lot of crownng Plus X.
The ceremony will take place this morning in
st. Peters, and will begin with a procession
headed by the Swiss Guards and ended by Plus
Y, wearing gold mitre, carried aloft on the
sedia gestatoria with a silver damask canopy
borne above his head. fianked by the habelli,
the great fans of ostrich and peacock feathers
and surrounded by the Noble Guards with
drawn swords. AS the Pope enters the church
he is stopped three times by one of the clerks Of
the chapel. who kneeling, sets fire to some flax
on the points of three pronged stick exclaim-
ing in a loud and mournful voice, 'Pater sancte
sic transit gloria mundi" C'Holy Father thus
passes away the glory of the world'O.
Having descended from the sedia gestatoria,
the Pope proceeds to the altar and after a brief
prayer begins the introit of the mass which on
this occasion is celebrated by him. At the end
of the confession he takes his place on the
throne on the left side of the altar while the
first cardinal bishop recites the three customary
prayers over him. Then the Pope returns to the
altar kneels the step, and while the first
cardinal bishop removes his gold mitre the sec
ond cardinal deacon invests him with the pom
tihcal palIium. or band of white wool, on
Mil, -I,o and
downward on the back and breast This pal
lium is adorned with three black silk embroid-
cred crosses, and constitutes the most sacred
and important symbol of his office.
AS soon as the Pope is invested with the pal
liun1 he resumes his nitre reaseends his throne
and then receives the homage of the principal
dienitaries present The cardinals come first
and kiss in turn his foot and his hand and are
then embraced by him Archbishops and
bishops kiss his foot and his right knee, but re
ceive no embrace, while minor dignitares of the
Church and laymen kiss his foot, or, rather. the
cross on his slipper, alone
The mass is then proceeded with. and after the
collects the senior cardinal deacon. standing at
the lowest step Of the altar. cries three times
Long life to our Lord. Plus X, the Bishop and
Universal Pontiff given 10 us by Cod and
thereupon turning toward the Pope, hands him
the papal crozier. which is distinguished from
that of all cardinals archbishops, bishops and
abbots in that il is surmounted by a cross in
stead of a shepherds crook This form of
crozier is exclusively used by the Pontif, and it
Is said that one OF the reasons why the croziers
of the other digntaries of the Church have the
upper end bent and are surmounted by a crook
is that it is a symbol of the fact that their
owners are compelled TO bow to the viii of the
Supreme Pontiff.
Not until the conclusion OF the mass does the
actual coronation take place, The Pope pro-
ceeds from the altar to hts seat on the throne
and thereupon, while the senior cardinal deacon
propounces prayer over him, the second car
dinaI deacon removes from the Pontiffs head
the golden mitre which he has until that time
worn. The first cardinal deacon then places the
t.ara upon the Popes head, with the words:
Take this tiara. adorned with three crowns
and know that thou art the father of all princes
and sovereigns, the ruler of the globe and on
earth the viceregent of our Saviour, Jesus
Christ, TO whom all glory and honor for ever
and ever, amen.
The Pope then rises, and wearing the tiara
delivers that benediction which completes the