The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1903-07-25

nephews and all the others present. H,
| attempted to raise himself and the ex
| with fine night shirt, was rendered
more pronounced by the surroundings
| The portieres dividing the door were
| drawn back to admit as much air as
| through the green shades of the window
| rendered his sunken eyes and shrunkeu
features absolutely CHASTITY.
1t was a most solemn moment The
\ head of the pontiff, with its white
skull cap. no whittier than the fringe of
| the silverv hair. rising above the Grim
| son coverlet. his hand raised in the fa~
| miliar gesture of benediction, the kneel-
ing assemblage being too earnestly alb
sorbed in deep affliction, veneration and
weeping to even make a movement.
End Was Peaceful. >
The doctors again examined the dying
holy father and this time found that he
was at the extreme limit of his powers of
respiration HIS eyes began to become
dull and clouded and Leo XIII entered
into the real agony of death which was
recognized by all present kneeling.
The last conscious act of the pontiff was
to turn his eyes towards the great cruci-
fix on the wall, after which he suffered
from a paraxysm of choking, during
which he passed away.
Then the silence of the awe-stricken as
semblage was broken by the sonorous
solemn voice of Cardinal Vannuteln the
grand penitentiary. intoning the requiem
aeternam (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
pensed so many benedictions and char
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, to spread
the sad news, which was not long in
spreading throughout Rome.
Inc occurrences in the death chamber
lmmedlateIy following the pope's demise
were OF impressive solemnlty. Couriers
mad been dispatched to summon those
who are delegated to perform the first
religious office to the dead pope, and
soon the chanting of the Franciscan
Ino.lks was heard, as TWO by two in coarse
proached the room in which Leo lay dead
From time immemorial the Franciscans
nave been penitentiaries of st. Peters s.
FOLLOWING them came the noble guard to
"aIch over the pontiff'S remains, the
briiliancy of their uniforms contrasting
with the somber attire of the quantity
garbed monks and the solemn dignity of
lhe chamber Itself. The only sound heard
was the measured chanting OF the psalms
OF penitence by a group of monks kneeh
ing beside the couch of death Two noble
GUARDS TOOK up positions at the foot OF
the couch and 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 it 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-
lid piazza of st. Peters and the win
low of the room commanding a view
Of the tall obelisk and playing foun- |
aims, with Rome stretching off beyond |
he Tiber. Across the middle of the |
'oom hang heavy draperies partly con-
,ealing the bed on which lay the silent |
orm of the dead pontiff. BY the side |
II the low bed burned a number of can |
lies, and from above looked down the |
,icture of the Madonna, with the in |
ant Christ in her arms. Leo's desk was |
,losed, but some of the books on reli- |
,ious topics which he kept remained on |
The body lay as it was exactly at the
moment of the pope's last expiring
,reath A white veil was thrown over |
he dead mans face while awaiting the
olemn entrance of the camerlingo. who /
vas to officially pronounce the pope ac-
ually dead.
The gruesome details of the embalming
Will not be performed until after a lapse !
f twenty-four hours. The body will
hen be robed in full pontifical vestments
or the imposing funeral services.