Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1903-07-21
LEO's LAST HOURS.

The death of Leo XIII has cast a !
shadow over every city in ChristeDdom,
and there are many evidences of respect
to his memory apparent among people
of all persuasions.
The last hours of the venerable pontift
were attended with much suffering.
Only an hour before he died he said to
DIR. Lapponi: The pain / suffer is
most terrible"
The last conscious act of the Pontiff
was to turn his eyes toward the great
crucifix on the wall, after which he suf
fered from paroxysm of choking, dur
ing which he expired.
DIR. Lapponi states that the Pontln
in his last moments made marvellous
display of his energy and he was re-
signed, calm and serene.
Cardinal Gibbons has left Paris for
Rome to attend the funeral and the con-
clave that will elect the successor to Leo.
Apostolic Delegate Falconio, at Wash
ington, has issued an address to the
archbishops and bishops of the United
States officially announcing the death OF
the Pontiff and suggesting general prayers
and masses for the repose ofhis soul.
Among Leo's last utterances were
these:
To Cardinal Oreglia, dean of the Sa-
cred College and Camerlengo;
ITO your Eminence, who will so soon
seize the reins OF supreme power | con-
fde the church in these difficult times. "
To Mgr. Bisleti, master of the cham
Der. who asked for the Pope's benedic-
ton for the court, which the Pontifl
granted, adding
"Be this my last greeting"
"What crowds What devotion
Ny dear people !"
"Oh. the weight of these robes Can
hold out until the end?"
1.-THE consistory is over. They can
reproach me no longer How many
| faces of all kindsl How many foreign
ers The Church is triumphing p And
so on over and over again.
The dying Pontif's mind was wan
dering when some Of these remarks were
made.
The last words the doctor and those
at the bedside heard him utter were
"Father-mother."
The words the Pope addressed to Car
dinal Oreglia, the last supreme effort o.
that intelligence which astonished the
world, are much commented upon, anC
it is wondered whether the intention o
Leo XIII. was to indicate Carolina
Oreglia as his successor. They will Ger
tainly have considerable weight in the
decision of the cardinals who will taxi
part in the conclaye.
An article on the deceased pontiff wa
published today by Cardinal Gibbons
Among other things the Cardinal says
'Ieo XIII. is dead. The voice which
filled the earth is silent. The lips which
dispensed knowledge to the nations ar
sealed. The heart which sympathize'
with all that was highest and hottest il
the aspirations and hopes of men ha
been touched unto stiffness, and tn
hands which but yesterday were freight
ed with power and blessings are toda.
cold and lifeless. To the Catholic h
was the Vicar of Christ upon earth, tn
, mouthpiece of the Most High God
Those who acknowledged him not 70
shepherd must recognize his genius AM
the example of his noble life. II
has been summoned to rest from hi
! labors. His works follow him to be
speak the crown of justice; they remain
as heritage for the admiration AM
,, imitation of generations to come. Wit
those works we are at present concerne
!, in so far as they reveal the life within
and are likely to affect the march
civilization. Vincent Joachim Rap
phael Louis Pecci was born March 2
1910, at Carpineto, little town cradles
in a cleft of the Volchian Hills. Hi
; parents were both of noble lineage
The character and influence, however
, which come of kindly nature were en-
: HANGED by the possession of the rares
gifts of grace. Under their benign car
were planted in the heart of the futur
pontid those seeds of virtue whicl
gradually unfolded in leaf and fowe
and fruit under the eyes of men unit
when the harvest was gathered int
eternal storehouses.