The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1905-09-16
PRIMATE OF RUSSIA DEAD.
Not Unlike Circumstances Attending
Death of Archbishop chapeIIe.

The Catholic Church in Russia has
lost it's Primate almost simultaneously
with the close of the war with Japan.
Archbishop 81 mbek's death came I'M
der circumstances not unlike those at
tending that of Archbishop Chapelle.
On the publication of the recent edict
of religious liberation by the car, last
spring. he undertook q pastoral vista
ton of his immense diocese, the larg-
est in the world. Such a task was for
the first time made possible by that
ukase. as though the Russian govern
ment has hitherto professed liberation
for Catholics, as we'll as Lutherans and
Mohammedans its tol-ration did not
permit the unrestricted travelling of
bishops even within their own diocese.
The Archbishop was confronted on his
pastoral journey by an epidemic of ty-
phoid in thu interior provinces, but he
refused to turn back on that account.
He was attacked by the fever and con-
veyed hurriedly to the house of his
cousin, Count Szembek, at Poremly,
where he pass;d from life in a few
days.
Archbishop Szembek was in the prime
of life, being only "a. He had occupied
the Metropolitan See of. Russia less
than three years, having been trans
ferred to it from the Polish diocese of
Flock in 1902. Even in THAI snort time
his attractive personality and remark
able intellectual powers won him a
large influence, not only over his flock,
but also in the hostile official circles
of st. Petersburg. 1T is even said that
the ukase of Nicholas II. in favor of
liberation was in some measure due to
the influence Of the deceased Arch
bishop.
George Szembek was member of a
distinguished Polish family and early
devoted himself to the ecclesiastical
state, but from various reasons he was
only ordained priest when near 40 years
of age. The Russian authorities threw
some difficulties in his way, as we'll as
duty to his family. He received Holy
Orders at Saratoff, near the Caspian
sea, and passed nine years in parochial
duties among the Catholics of German
descent. who form the majority in that
diocese. In 1900 the government saw
fit to, Danish Mgr. Symon. OF the Polish
diocese of Plock, and that sse was left
without a pastor. AS a compromise
the Russian minister offered to allow
a successor to be appointed IF Mgr.
Symon would leave Russia. He con-
sented, and Father Szembek was
named as his successor, and conseerat-
ed by the Archbishop of Mohileff, that
year. His brief administration was
marked by the restoration of the long
dilapidated Cathedral of Flock. The
position of a Catholic Bishop in Poland,
between the national feelings of his
flock and the jealous suspicion of a
despotic government, is a singularly
difficult one. but Bishop Szembek's rare
tact and prudence, coupled with earn
est zeal and high intellectual power,
enabled him to accomplish marked
progress in. religion without interfer-
ence by the authorities. On the death
of the Metropolitan Archbishop Klopo-
towski, in 1902. Leo XIII. suggested
Bishop Szembek as his successor. and
the choice was approved by the cars
ministry, without the delays usually
interposed in such appointments. Since
that time he resided at st. Petersburg
until he bsgan the pastoral visitation
which ended his career too soon.
The Archdiocese of Mohileff- includes
almost the whole Russian empire out
side the old Polish territory. Siberia
Kamehatka, Central Asia and four
fifths of European Russia are included
in its limits. It's extent is nearly dou-
BILE that of the United States. and it's
population over one hundred millions,
including, however, less than two mil
lions of Catholics. 1t was erected in
the close of the eighteenth century by
Plus VI, at the request of the Empress
Catherine, who had seized by conquest
the territory of While Russia from
Poland. and demanded as a condition
of maintaining Catholic worship there
that it should be formed into a separ-
ate diocese. Up to that time, though
Catholics of forsign origin were allowed
the free practice of their religion in
Russia, no diocese had been allowed
there. In consequence. the whole en-
pire was Joined to the new diocsse of
Mohileff in the organization OF the
Church. Only one diocese-that of
Saratoff-haS since been detached from
it, as the Russian government claims
the authority to prevent any appor-
tionment even of Church jurisdiction,
in it's dominions. without its own de-
sire. Should the late decree of re-
ligious freedom prove a reality there
is reason to expect that a score, at
least. of dioceses will be formed from
that of Mohileff in the near future.
1t is curious fact that there are more
Catholic Bishops in Japan at present
than in the whole Russian empire out
side Poland. That may we'll suggest
the value of the liberation proclaimed
by the Russian government as, part of
its policy. since the days Of Peter the
Great.-Monitor.
Arobbiebon Innorreeftv Penorfed