The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-07-21

holy father and this time found that he
was at the extreme limit OF his powers Of
respiration His eyes began 10 become
dull and clouded and Leo XIII entered
INTO the real agony of death which was
recognized by all present kneeliug.
The last conscious act of the pOntiff was
70 turn his eyes towards the great cruel
Tx on the wall after which ne suffered
from paraXysm of choking, during
which he passed away
Then the silence of the awe-Strickeu as
Semblage was broken by the souor0us
solemn voice Of Cardinal VannuteIu the
grand penitenJiary. informing the requiem
aeterndm (rest eternaD.
This was the signal for an outburst of
tears and the sound of weeping which
could no longer be suppressed, all the
kneeling prelates and others kissing the
dead hand-that hand which had dis
tiles.
Intense Sorrow.
Outside the death chamber expectation
was intense but the sight of the sOr-
rowing faces Of those leaving the room
was sufficient, without words 10 spread
the sad news. which was not long in
spreading throughout Rome
me occurrences in the death chamber
Immediately following the pope's demise
were Of impressive solemnity Couriers
had been dispatched TO summon those
VINO are delegated to perform the first
religious office TO the dead none and
soon the chanting of the Franciscan
monks was heard, as two by two in coarse
~ oNi udpiLS ana with SauQleQ feet.
proached the room in which Leo lay dead
From time immemOrial the Franciscans
nave been penitentiarieS of St Peters
FolowlnS them came the noble guard 10
watch over the pOntiffS remains the
brilliancy Of their uniforms contra stin 9.
with the sOmber attire Of the QUANTITY
CARRIED monks and the solemn dignity Of
the chamber itself The only sound heard
was the measured chanting of the psalms
OF penltence by group of monks kneel-
ing beside the couch Of death. Two noble
guards took up positions at the foot OF
the couch ana stood By. rigid and silent
as statues with swords drawn and re-
Versed, pointing to the floor
In the Death Chamber.
The death chamber preserved much the
same appearance as IL did at the time
OF the final illness of the pope. 1t is
situated on the third floor of the vati-
can the apartments fronting the splen-
did piazza OF St Peters and the win
dow of the room commanding a view
of the tall obelisk and playing foun-
tains, with Rome stretching off beyond
the Tiber. Across the middle of the
room hang heavy draperieS, partly con-
ceahng the bed on which lay the silent
form of the dead DOntiff. BY the side
: of the low bed burned a number Of can
dies, and from above looked down the
picture Of the Madonna. with the in
FAINT Christ in her arms. LeO'S desk was
closed. but some Of the books on reli-
gious topics which he kept remained on
The body lay as it was exactly at the
moment of the pope's last expiring
breath. A white veil was thrown over
the dead mans face while awaiting the
solemn entrance Of the camerlingo, who
was to officially pronounce the pope ac-
tually dead.
The Erucsome details of the ernbalming
win not be performed until after lapse
OF twenty.four hours The body will
then be robed in fun pontifical vestments
for the imposing funeral services.