Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1903-07-22
THE LATE LEO III.


in the hall of the throne, few steps
from the room in which his death took
place. The same vestments-the
Comauro hood, the rOchet and the white
eown--which were put on Monday
cover the form, which rests in semistate
surrounded by the lighted candles, the
Noble Guard and Franciscan penitent-
aries.
This morning the diplomatic body,
the high dignitaries and the Roman
aristocracy entered the hall to pay their
tribute of respect to all that remains OF
the Pope. In the afternoon the body
was arrayed in all the glory of the pom
tifical robes, the miter replacing the
hood, and at sunset it will be taken
into the Chapel of the Sacrament of st.
Peters, where for three days the public
will be given an opportunity of paying a
last farewell. The interment will occur
Saturday evening.
Yesterday morning took place the first
of the ceremonies which follow the de-
mise of a pope. All the cardinals pres
ent in Rome, numbering 30, assembled
at the apostolic palace to view the re-
mains of the late Leo XIII. and to Off
cially pronounce him dead. Cardinal
Oreglia, dean of the Sacred College and
camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church,
had to put aside his cardinals robes as
a sign of deep mourning, and was gown
ed entirely in violet. The other cardi-
nails wore crimson robes with violet col
lars, indicative of mourning.
Within the death chamber the body
Law with a white veil over the face on the
bed. surrounded by Franciscan penlten-
taries, while outside the Noble Guard
maintained a solemn vigil. The pro-
found silence was only broken by the
chanting of prayers for, the dead. Into
this solemn presence came the mourning
procession of cardinals, who, kneeling,
silently prayed. Then the prelates
reyerently looked on while Cardinal
Oreglia approached the remains. For
the mornings fun ction the Pope's bed
room had been transformed into kind
of mortuary chapel, with the altar at
one end, having in the center a cruciiix
surrounded by six lighted candles. -Four
candles stood at the bedcorners.
The white veil was then removed from
the dead mans face, revealing the cameo
like features of the departed Pope, rem
dered sharper and more transparent ty
death. So lifelike was the body that
those present half expected Leo to raise
his hand in the familiar gesture of bless
ing.
A moment of breathless silence en-
sued. and then the cardinal carmerlengo,
taking the aspersorium, sprinkled the
late Pontiff with holy water and said in
firm voice:
"Gioacchino. The Christian name
of the deceased holy father.)
When there was no answer the same
word was repeated three times, louder
and louder. After which, turning to
the kneeling cardinals, the carmerlengo
solemnly announced:
Papa we're mortuus est" (The Pope
is really dead.)
As the words were uttered there arose
from the kneeling cardinals sigh, like
that of the wind in the trees at night,
tribute paid to thelate Pontiff by those
heads of the church.
After this, in voices trembling with
emotion, the ranking cardinals recited
the De Profundis, gave absolution and
sprinkled the body with holy water.
Following the ceremony of the recog-
milton of the death of the Pope by the
sacred college came another, shorter, but
no less significant and symbolic. On
Leo's finger was the famous fisherman
ring, which the camerlengo, with
whispered prayer, drew gently of, and
which, later, will be broken in the pres
euce of the cardinals, resetand presented
to the new pope when he is elected.
The ring is of great antiquity. 1t Is
even said to have belonged to St. Peter
himself. 1t is stone of little value,
cut with the scene of st. Peter drawing
in fishing nets. 1t was first used about
the year 1865, but for secret documents
it was only used later Officially, it is
one of the symbols of Office most priced
by the church Although lost two or
three times, it has always been recovered.
Late yesterday afternoon the body of
Pope Leo was embalmed and clothed in
full pontifcal robes, preparatory to the
funeral obsequies.