Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1903-07-09
THE POPE'S REIGN ENDING.
Leo XIII. Calmly Passing From
Life Unto Death--Extreme
Unction Administered.
FULL TRUST IN THE DIVINE MERCY.
Touching Prayers offered for Dying
POntin-Impressive Group Sur
rounds the Central Figure in
Dealt Chamber-Speaks of Life
and Death with Same Serenity.

Rome. July Z, 1855 a. m.-Another
morning has broken on the pathetic
scene within the simple chamber of
the vatican where Pope Leo lies dy-
ing. AS the soft light of dawn pene-
irated into the room the pontitf
whispered to his devoted physician
that he desired the shutters of the
windows to be opened, saying:
81 wish to see once more, perhaps
for the last time, the rays of the
sun"
1t was Just a short while after the
pope came back to consciousness
from a sleep which DR.. Lapponi had
induced by a strong dose of choral.
His sleep was so deathlike that arti.
fetal respiration was continued, and
DR.. Lapponi every few minutes leaned
a~nNiously over the couch to observe
the illustrious patient and listen to
his hardly perceptible breathing,
Pope Leo awoke without pe%rspiration,
feeble to extreme and his voice hardly
audible. The fits of coughing had
brought pains in his chest and shout.
ders, and thinking his end was now
near, he said to DR.. Lapponi:
Tell me when the time really
comes.'
The doctor assured his holiness tina!
he believed the danger of his immedi'
ate passing was averted for the night
and for the day.
Those seemingly last moments OF
Pope Leo are full of solemnity. Per.
haps his last hours would be less mel.
.ancholy and sad if the august suf.
ferer were less conscious of the cir.
cumstances and his mind less cleat
as to the duration of time remaining
to him before he enters eternity. Al,
though his physical powers are at the
lowest ebb and his breathing becomes
more labored. the pope's mind is
clear. as is manifest to all around him
by his bright, expressive eyes, the
few words he now and then succeeds
in uttering. The scene is so touch
ing that those present can scarce re.
strain their tears.
Count Camille Pecci, the pope's
nephew, whom the dying man kept by
his side yesterday, was so exhausted
late last night by his c%ontending emo.
tions that he had to be taken from
his uncle's room, completely worn
out. a few moments before, as he
stood bowed beside the bed, Pope Lee
laid his hand on his head with pa.
ternal affection, saying:
Take courage"
Shortly after ten o'clock at night
the pontiff received extreme JUNCTION,
At nine O'Clock his condition seemed
so hopeless that only a short time ap,
parently remained before he would
glide into his last sleep. At Dr.. Lap.
poni's initiative a hasty consultation
of the pope's relatives, Cardinal Ram.
polla and other ecclesiastics was held
and it was decided that extreme unc.
ton should be given. The pontiff re, ,
ceived the announcement with his
usual calmness, and though scarcely
able to speak audibly he said he knew
his time had come and he was ready
to appear before the sublime tribunal
with full trust in the divine mercy.
Monsignor Pifferi, Pope Leo's con.
fessor, administered the extreme unc. !
ton. and when the ceremony was
over his holiness sank back on the pil.
low with apparent great relief that
all was done and that he was enter.
ing into rest after his long pilgrim.
aOe.