Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-01
TOMB OF LEO XIII
Will Be in Church of st. John
Lateran.
LONG THE PAPAL HOME
NAMED AFTER A PATRICIAN PUT
TO DEATH BY NERO.
Precious Relics to Be Found in the
Bui1ding-Exhibits to Be Sent to
the st. Louis Exposition.
BY WILLIAM f. CURTIS.

Special Correspondence of The Evening Star and
Chicago Record Herald.
ROME. December %, 1903.
According to his wish, the permanent
tomb of the late Leo XIII will be in the an
cient and famous Church of st. John Lat
eran, and during the next year marble
sarcophagus will be placed over the door
leading into the sacrfsty to the LETT of the
choir uniform with that of Pope Innocent
III which stands over the corresponding
door upon the opposite side. The sarco-
phagus will be of similar design, beautifully
severe. with a recumhent figure of the late
pope and ornamented with delicate tracery
of gold.
Leo XIII made that tomb at his own cost,
and after his own designs, for Innocent III
was his ideal among the popes and the eX-
ample he tried to emulate. He was the
pope of the Crusades. and reigned from
1877 to 1916, contemporary with Godefroy
de Bouilliou and Richard Occur de Lion,
and sat in the papal chair during that ter
ribe struggle between the soldiers OF the
cross and Saladin the Moslem hero During
his reign the papacy reached Its higheSt IN
fluence and the kings of Europe did homage
TO him. He was recognized as oVer!oro
TO all sovereigns; was the founder OF the
papal states and under his patronage the
St Dominic and ST. Francis, who once met
in the portico of the Lateran Church. Upon
his death the power of the papacy began 10
diminish and its glory to recede
In the day of Innocent III the Lateran
Palace was the home and the Headquarters
of the popes. and continued to be until they
left Rome in 1905 and went to AVlsnoh;
France Upon their return they occupied
the Vatican.
Long the Home Of the Popes.
The Iateran was the residence of the
nopes for nearly $50 years and the true
rontifcal throne still stands upon the plat
form beside the altar bearing the words
"Haec est Papalis Sedes ct PondAcals
over it is inscribed the papal and imperial
decree declaring the Lateran TO De tle
mother and mistress of all the churches
1T is the oldest church in Rome and the
tomb of sixteen popes.
In early times. after his election by the
sacred conClave. newly elected pope came
to take possession of the palace RIDING upon
white mule, which was always the GIT
of the King of Naples. He passed from
the Castle of st. Angelo. near St Peter S,
through the lower part OF the city, the Cir
Gus MaXimus, the Forum and the Coli
scum to the Lateran. where he received a
girdle staff and the keys, symbols of his
inheritance from st Peter, and on the way
was expected to scatter $500 in silver and
copper coins among the multltudeS. pom
his arrival at the Lateran he was received
by the sacred college and the clergy of
Rome led into the Basilica, where they
rendered their oaths of loyalty and homage,
and the various officials Of the holy see re-
ceived the pontifcal blessing. He was then
conducted to the sancta sanCtorum, seated
upon the throne. and the triple crown
placed upon his brow. These formalities.
however, have not been observed for more
than a century. Coronations now take
place at st. Peters.
The Lateran derives its name from a rich
patrician put to death by Nero. who once
lived on its site The property was given
by Constantine to Pope Miltiades in 80.
when the first church was built, and EN-
perOr Constantine labored among the ma
sons and stone cutters with his own hands
The original church was almost entirely
destroyed by an earthquake in Sl6. and
was rebuilt by Pope serguis III In @o4,