The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1903-08-05

ceremony may he said to be the statute
law ofs the Catholic Church at such n
crisis, and part Is an elaborate code
Of rules which has become common
law by the precedents of past similar
occasions.
The prescribed ceremonies. which be-
long to the law Of the church. Date
back to October l, 1862. with the con
stitution In elegendis of Plus ". This
constitution was extended by Gregory
XIV. November H. 1921. in his Aetcrni
PATHS. AMI both received amplification
oy Gregory in his btlll. Deceit Roman
I'm Pontificem, issued March Il, 1922.
This last-nSmed instrument was fur
ther supplemented by Clement MI. in
his Apostolatus o:ficium, October IA.
1882. AS to the matters of customary
procedure not found in this code. many
are very ancient, and historians are
not agreed as to their source or their
significance.
When it is anticipated that the Pope
IS about to die. the first act is for the
Secretary of State to convey the in
formation to the Dean of the College
Of Cardinals, who proceeds immediate
y with his colleagues wlO may be
present at Rome is the pnpal residence.
BY order of the. Cardinal-Vicar prayers
are directed to be offered in all Catho-
Ne churches, and as rule the diplo-
matte corps is officially notified. If
he physicians in attendance judge
Heath to be ut hand the household of
the Pope and the Cardinals are sum-
noned to his bedside. The PopeTs con-
tessor and the Cardinal Grand Peni-
.entiary receive his last confession,
S administered by the Pope's saerls-
nn, an Augustinian monk. If the phys
cal condition warrants the Pope re-
.ites the T1fdentine profession Of faith
md receives the grand absolution from
The grand pcnitentiary. 1t is the he
lief of the Catholic Church that while
he Pope is Christ's viceregent on
earth, holding by His gift the keys of
heaven and he'll as regards others, he
himself must receive absolution and
consolation on the level with the hum
olest saint of the Catholic communion.
After this ceremony the Pope may
3eclare his dying counsel and desires
concerning his successor, and the fu-
.ure policy of the church. which, how
ever, have no binding authority. The
sacristan then recites the commenda-
ion prayers, Depart Christian SOUL"
etc. AS the last moment approaches
he Franciscan friars. who are peni-
.entiaries of st. Peters, chant the peni-
iential psalms. and at the demise the
Secretary of State Immediately noti-
ies the Cardinal Chamberlain, who by
aw Is the executive of the Papal Gov
.rnment ad interim. This official,
clothed in violet robe and accom-
panied by the prelates Of the chamber,
enters the room of the dead. The face
IF the corpse is covered with white
.loth and while the penitentiaries con-
inue their chanting of the offices of the
lead the Cardinal Chamberlain kneels
)n velvet pillow and offers silent
prayer. Rising, the white cloth is re-
moved by the attendants. and he
strikes the forehead Of the dead three
lines with a silver hammer, repeating
At each stroke the baptismal name OF
he corpse, and then turning to those
present says, THE Pope is indeed
lead" All kneeling. he recites the DE
Profunds" with the prayer of absolu-
ton, and sprinkles the corpse with
holy water. The master Of the cham
Der then approaches and takes from
The finger of the dead Pope the Fish
ermans 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
prothonotary of the formal record of
the decease of the Pope required by
10th ecclesiastical and civil law.
From the presence Of the corpse the
Chamberlain now proceeds to ANOTHER
apartment and there announces to the
assembled officials of various orders
he news of the Pope's death. Orders
are issued at the same time for the
notification of the cardinals and for
.he conclave. While these official
1uties 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 embalm-
ing is completed the corpse Is clothed
in full papal vestments and exhibited
to all in the Vatican. 1t is then re-
moved for the night to the Sistine
Chapel, and on the next to ST. Peters,
is final destination, where 1t is placed
On a large catafalque about which
twelve tapers of yellow wax are light
ed. 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 IN. There
We're serious fears Of popular tumult,
and owing TO existing political condi'
tions there was some apprehension
that the Italian Government might in
terfere with the obsequ!es. The body
Of Plus TX. was therefore moved at
once and by night to 81. Peters. The
obsequies lasted but eight days. and
the burial took place on the fourth day
after the conclusion of the obsequies.