The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-07-20
CHOOSING NEW POPE
Impressive Ceremonies Follow Death
of a Pontiff


ola Pontiff
The election of a pope is the most
solemn function of the Roman Catho-
lie church. The conclave which
chooses the successor of st. Peter does
not actually assemble for ten days af~
ter the death of a pontiff, but the GER
emonial of the election begins at the
preceding pope's death.
AS soon as the holy father has
breathed his last, amidst the coEsola-
tions of religion, and after making his
profession of faith. in the presence of
the Grand Penitentiary, who usually
administers the last SacramentS ana or
the more intimate members of his
court, the cardinal camerlengo, ac-
companied and assisted by the reverent
clerks of the Apostolic Chamber, takes
possession of his palace and causes
careful inventory of everything found
in the papal apartments. He then
proceeds to the chamber of death, in
which the body of the pontiff still lies.
He strikes the forehead of the dead
pope three times with a silver malIet.
asking loudly and solemnly, Holy
Father, art thou really dead?" When
silence follows the third interrogatory
he turns to the assembled prelates and
proclaims, Our Holy Father is no
MORE
He then receives from the
as the Haestro di camera,
purse containing the fishermans
ring, which the dead pope had
used during life. The Camerlengo by
virtue of his office becomes the execu-
tive of the pontifical government. Pope
Leo was the Camerlengo of Plus TX.
His first act is to order the tolling of
the bell. Formerly the bell at the Cap
ftol was used for this purpose Pope
Plus TX. was the first pontiff whose
death was announced from the Basi-
lica of ST. Peters. This order was
formerly executed by the Senator of
Rome" but this office has been abol-
ished since the temporal power was
taken from the pope.
THE POPE'S BODY EMBALMED.
IWenty-four hours after death the
body of the pontiff is embalmed and lies
in state, ROBBED in the ordinary or do
nestle costume, upon a bed covered
with cloth of gold and crimson draper
les. The piouS offices of washing and
dressing the body are performed by the
penitentiarieS or cOnfessors of the Vat
lean Basilica, who are always members
of the Minor Conventuals of the Fran
ciscan order. The dead pope is next
removed to the Sistine chapel, where,
clothed in his full pontifical vestments.
he is placed on a couch surrounded by
burning taperS and watched by detach-
ments of Swiss guards.
On the following day the cardinals
and chapter of St Peters assemble in
the Sistine chapel and accompany the
transportation of the body to the chapel
of the Blessed Sacrament in the main
church of st. Peters. The feet are al
lowed to prOtrude through an opening
in the iron railing. that the faithful
may approach and kiss the embroidered
slipper Nine days public obsequies for
the pontiff then begin. For the first six
days the cardinals and prelateS of the
holy see assemble daily in the quiet
chapel of st. Peters. where requiem
masses are sung by the cardinals and
the office for the dead chanted. The re-
naming three days the services are per-
Ccrr1fE .anr
falque, which is erected in the nave of
the great Basilica. A detachment of the
noble guard stands there motiOnless. as
though carved in stone. Over the bier
a life size portrait of the holy father is
hung and a thousand candles of yellow
wax and twenty enormous torches in
golden candelabra burn around it night
and day.
quies of the pope continue the cardi-
mails assemble each morning in the sa-
cr1sty of st. Peters to arrange all mat
tiers of government of the church and
the details of the approaching conclave.
These meetings are called general con-
gregations At them the bills and or
dinances relating to papal elections are
read ard the cardinals take an oath to
observe them faithfully. The repeti-
lions of this ceremony are intended to
impress the august college of cardinals
with the solemnity of the act which they
win perform in the election Of the next
pope.
The Fisherman's ring and the large
metal seal used for bulls are broken by
the master of ceremonies on the meet
ing of the first general congregation.
Two orators are chosen. one for the fu-
neral Grafton and the other for the con-
clave. All briefs memorials and official
papers. not finally acted upon are SOL
EMMY consigned to the clerk of the gen.
eral congregation to he held during the
interregnum.
THE MOMENTOUS TENTH DAY.
On the tenth day the body of the dead
pontiff is quietly carried to its place
in the crypt of ST Peters, there to rest
until the death of his successor, when
it is transferred to the tomb built dur
ing his lifetime.
In the forenoon of this tenth day the
cardinals assemble in the choir chapel
of St Peters, where the dean of the
Sacred College celebrates a solemn high
mass of the Holy Ghost. After this SER
vice the orator of the conclave is intro
duced who, if he be a bishop. wears his
full episcopal caDonicals. His discourse
is directed to infuse a spirit of solem-
nity and dWellS upon the fact that an
excellent and worthy pontiff must be
chosen After the sermon and the sing
ing by the Papal choir of the hymn
.FVeni Creator the cardinals ascend In
solemn procession to the Pauline chapel
in the vatican palace. where the dean
recites aloud the prayer Deus. Gui coz
da fidelium erexit." He addresses his
colleagues upon the momentous duty
they are about to undertake. and ex-
horts them to lay aside all human mo-
tives and perform their work Without
fear or favor of any man. All persons
who are to remain in the conclave. as
tie cardinals custodians, conclavists or
attendants on the cardinals. physicians.
and individually take an oath not to