The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-07-28
Reception of the Diplomats
(By the Associated Press

Rome. July 25.-On the stroke of mid
day, as the noon gun from the Castle of
st. Angelo was fired, the lying IN state
of the body of Pope Leo XIII came quiet
ly to an end, and those few who still ling
cred at the gates of the chapel of the
sacrament were ordered to leave and
some two or three hundred persons, IN
Guiding Cardinal GooSscns, who arrived
from Mcchlin just in time, passed slowly
out of St Peters into the sunllt piazza
and the worlds last farewell to the great
Pore was over Ten minutes later Italian
infantry and gcndarmes poured out of the
basilca and lined w on the steps IN I'M
posing array. The outer gates were then
closed and the body of the late Pope was
left to the tender care of those who had
watched by Leo XIII in his life time.
The preparations for this evening inter
ment were Immediately commenced.
While the bells of the basilica rang out
their daily mclodious noon chorus, the
troops formed in column and were march
ed to the barracks. Their historic incur
sion into Vatican territory ended without
the slightest friction.
1t is estimated that $4,000 people passed
the catafalque since Thursday morning. The
last funeral mass in st. Peters was cele-
brated this morning in the chapel OF the
choir by Mgr. Panicy, canon of the Fatl-
can basilica. At the same time funeral
masses were celebrated in most of the
churches of Rome.
The most imposing ceremony today was
the reception by the Sacred College, in the
hall of the Consistory, of the whole dlplo-
matte body accredited to the Vatican. All
the diplomats wore gorgeous uniforms and
the cardinals had on their magnificent
violet robes and were seated III a huge
arm chair, according to right OF prece-
dence. The Portuguese Ambassador, M.
Martins DAntas dean OF diplomatic corps,
was at the head of the body. He ad-
vanced and delivered an address in French,
expressing the sorrow Of all the powers at
the death of Pope Leo who acquired the
universal esteem of the world
Cardinal Orcglia, dean of the College
of Cardinals, rose ana answered IN ltallan.
lie thanked the diplomats in the name
of their Sacred College for the part all
the governments had taken in this mourn
ing of the church. He eulogized Pope
Leo and his work during his long ponti-
ficate and ended with expressing the hope
that God would suggest to the Sacred Col
|
After this the members of the diplomatic
body kissed the hands of all the Cardinals
and especially congratulated Cardinal
Oregla on the sentiments he had expressed
and which produced the best of impress
sions. - 80 sg
When the time came to take the fish
erman's ring from Pope Leos finger, il
has just developed, another was found in
! its place This did not surprise any one
as generally, the Pontif does not wear il
the ring being less of an ornament than
seal. At the first meeting of the con
gregation of Cardinals after the Pope
death when the famous ring should have
been broken, this ceremony was omitted
and it was put on record that the ring
for the moment, could not be found
The fisherman's ring is known to have
been lost twice before
SO far it has not been discovered, but
the Vatican authorities assure the Asso-
ciatcd Press that the ring will undoubtedly
be found.
| On two other occasions the ring was
taken from the Papacy by force. In 1873
the French republicans invading the
Papal States, despoiled Plus VI of all his
valuables and among them of the fisher
mans ring. 1t was returned the next day
as it had no intrinsic value. When Plus
IVI was kidnapped in the middle of the
night and was made TO give up this ring
| the Pope gave it up after breaking it i4