The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1903-07-17
POPE'S FINE TOMB
ONLY A MYTH
The Permanent Resting Place of Leo
XIII Has Not Yet Been De-
cided Upon.

Rome. July 1.-THE events of the
last week have served to explode a
theory that has been current for a
number of years to the effect that
Pope Leo XIII. had erected for him
self a magnificent tomb as his last
resting place. This tomb was ire
ouently described as being construct
ed of Carrara marble with lion
upon the lid whose paws protect the
pontificial tiara. On the right vas
supposed TO be statue of Faith Dear
ing a candle and the Holy Scrip ,ures;
on the left a figure of Truth bear
'ng the coat of arms of Leo XIII. upon
a shield. and upon the pedestal the
inscription: "Hic jacet Leo NIll.,
Pontifex Mavimus. Pulvis est CHere
lies Leo Kill, Sovereign POntiff. He Is
dust)
This story was so generally circu-
,ated that in many quarters 1t was ac-
cepted as truth, despite the fact that
until his fatal illness the pope had
never been known by his most 1ntl-
mate associates of the Vatican to 7X-
press any preference as to his hnal
resting place 1t was supposed by
many who had enjoyed his friendship
and confidence that his preference
was for the splendid new baslllca
erected during the last fifty years out
side the walls Of the city upon the
spot where St. Paul, the Apostle. IS
supposed 10 have been buried. Plus
TX raised most of the money and did
most of the work and the church was
completed and decorated under the
direction Of Leo Kill. although,
strange to say. he never saw it.
After his election to the pOntificiate
he remained a nominal prisoner in
the Vatican, and before that, although
he was in Rome much of the time,
he seems never to have had curiosity
enough to go out to inspect the new
church, which is a mile or more be-
yond the city gates. Near by is a.
curious little chapel, erected three or
four hundred years ago to mark the
spot where St. Peter and st. Paul
had their last interview and embraced
each other before going to martyr
dom.
1t was supposed that Plus TX. would
Paul, in which he took so great an in
| terest. but to the surprise Of every
body he selected the old church of ST.
| Lorenzo. in the most diSreputable
part of Rome, near by the principal
cemetery. He was provided with
beautiful tomb in a subterranean
chamber, lined with the finest modern
| mOsaics in the world. The sarcopha-
gus is very plain piece Of marble,
! severe in its simplicity, but its sur
rOundings are superb
| Shortly before he was taken i'll
Pope Leo XIII. expressed to Cardinal
| SatOlli his wishes in regard to his
funeral and burial and it is probable
that he indicated in his will the same
| desires as to where he would like to
| lie, though it is possible that a num-
| Der Of years may elapse before The
| final disposition of his remains IS
made Thus, it was not until 1862,
many years after his death, that the
| remains Of Plus TX. were finally re-
| moved from st. Peters to the Church
of St Lorenzo 1t is definitely known
that to Cardinal SatOlli Leo XIII. eX
pressed the desire to be buried in the
| church of St. John Lateran. The spot
| he designated is on the left Of the
apSe above the entrance to the SaCrlS-
ty. corresponding to the opposite
niche in which is the monument erect
ed by himself in 1881 to Pope Innicent
| III. 1t is said that a statue of Pope
Leo. forming part Of the monument,
has already been made. In other re-
spects the tomb will resemble that
of Innocent Ill. consisting of sarcO-
phagus with a bas relief. two inches,
two statues. and two medalliOns.