Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1903-08-07

En- ma ried out with care to the
utmost detail. Part of this
ceremony may be said to be the statute
law of 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 /, 1862, with the con-
stitution In elegendis of Plus Nv. This
constitution was extended by Gregory
XIV, November Is, 1921, in his Aeternl
PATHS, and both received application
DIV Gregory in his bull, Deceit Npman-
I'm POntifcem, issued March 1922.
This last-named instrument W fur
Their supplemented by Clement II. In
his Apostolatus ofi1cium, Octobet 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
,ignifcance.
When 1t is anticipated that the Pope
Ia about to die, the first act Is for the
tary of State to convey the in
1ation to the Dean Of the College
cardinals, who proceeds immediate
with his colleagues who may be
resent at Rome to the papal residence.
by order of the Cardinal-Vicar prayers
are directed to be offered in all Catho-
lie churches, and as q rule the diplo-
matte corps Is officially notified. If
the physicians In attendance judge
death to be at hand the household of
the Pope and the Cardinals are sum-
noned to his bedside. The Pope's con-
lessor and the Cardinal Grand Peni-
tertiary receive his last confession,
Ind the sacrament of extreme JUNCTION
Is administered by the Pope's sacris-
IAN, an Augustinian monk. If the phys
lcal condition warrants the Pope re-
.ites the Tridentine profession of faith
and receives the grand absolutiOn from
the grand penitentiary. 1t is the be-
lief of the Catholic Church that while
The Pope is Christs yiceregent on
earth, holding by His gift the keys of
heaven and hell as regards others, he
himself must receive absolution and
consolation on the level with the hum
blest saint of the Catholic communion.
After this ceremony the Pope may
ieclare his dying counsel and desires
concerning his successor, and the flu
lure 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 penl-
tential psalms. and at the demise the
Secretary of State Immediately mott
ies the Cardinal Chamberlain, who by
law Is the executive of the Papal Gov
eminent ad interim. This official.
,lothed In violet robe and accom-
panied by the prelates of the chamber,
mters the room. Of the dead. The face
# the corpse is covered with white
10th, and while the penitent1arfes con-
inue their chanting Of the offices of the
lead the Cardinal Chamberlain kneels
IN velvet pillow anG offers a Silent
prayer. Rising, the white cloth Is re-
moved by the attendants, and he
strikes the forehead Of the dead three
times with a silver hammer. repeating
At each stroke the baptismal name Of
the corpse, and then turning to those
present says, "The Pope is indeed
lead" All kneelng, he recites the DE
Profundls" 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
srman's Ring, the special symbol or
authority, and hands 1t to the Cham
berlain. The ceremonies at the death
6eNIare concluded by the reading by
orothonOtary of the formal record OF
the decease of the Pope required by
both 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
The news of the Pope's death. Orders
are issued at the same time for the
notification of the cardinals and ror|
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 a marble urn and con-
yeyed at once to the basement of st.
Peters Cathedral. When the embalm-
49, pleted the corpse is clothed
vestments and exhibited.
Vatican. 1t Is then re-
e night to the Sistine
h the next to ST. Peters.
klnation, where 1t is placed
Diafge catafalque about which
Velve tapers Of yellow wax are light
For nine successive days high
SIS is sung each day while the dead
be lies in state, the last three days
q known as the great funeral
vices" and on the ninth day the
10y over the dead is pronounced.
divisional burial takes place on
I'd day after the conclusion OF
bsequies.
burial rites prescribed by law
nt nhcOrvpn tho