The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-09
"REQUlESCAT IN PACE"
 PRONOUNCED OVER DDAD
fCoNTrNUED FROM PAGE 1.)


 with fringes of gold, the feature of the cortege that attracted the most attention were the gilded state coaches of the six teenth, seventeenth and eighteenth cen turies which were reserved for the use of the foreign missions and the higest dig nitaries of Portugal. The first three coaches in line were filled with court functionarles In the fourth rode the ministers of the United States, Brazil and Russia and the papal nupcio. The fifth was occupied by Count D'Ormerson and the other members of the French mis- sion while the sixth carriage held the royal princes of Germany, Spain, Great Britain and Italy.
 As the procession advanced through the guarded streets the crowd became denser. All stores and business establishments along the route were closed and tightly shuttered.
 Slow Pageant.
 The funeral cortege moved more slowly than had been expected and 1t was the middle of the afternoon when it reached the church. The pageant was a glitI tering one. It was headed by section of cavalry followed by the municipal guards. Then came six grooms of the chamber in gala dress, followed by the carriages of the judges, councillors, mem bers of the House of Peers, ambassadors, princes, government and palace officials and ecclesiastical functonaries. The hearse or coach containing the body of King Carlos was drawn by ten horses; that containing the body of the Crown Prince by eight They were led by grooms and other officials, carrying fam ing torches. On either side marched a file of soldiers of the Royal guard. The rear of the procession consisted of the royal body guard, the military house. hold of the King, mounted officers and A, company of cavalry.
 At the Church.
 The head of the cortege drew up before the stone steps leading to the church of San Xincente, a historic edifce, built in the reign of Philip IT., wherein an adjoining wing or royal pantheon, are entombed members of the royal family. A group of clergy, headed by the pa- triarch of Lisbon, awaited the cortege at the steps. The collins were carried from the hearses, and enveloped in the national flag, were placed on piers in front of the church. Troops formed about them in open square and now occurred what seemed the most touching incident of the day.
 From one side slowly marched conn pany of men, wearing long, black robes and carrying lighted torches. They were members of the ancient Sacred Fra ternity of the Holy House of Pity, or ganized in the thirteenth century, to which Portuguese tradition has accorded the privileges of uttering the first abso- lution over dead sovereigns as well as later of claiming the catafalque and burial pail, which they may sell for the benefit of their charities. The service Is sym bolized by disregard for all worldly vani- ties and by humility.
 "Requescat In ~Pace."
 
 accustomed prayers, while the troops stood at attention and in the distance could be heard the minute guns of the land batteries to which the British and Spanish cruisers replied gun for gun. This brief but imposing ceremony finished, the primate, with the words ''requiescat in pace' sprinkled the collins with holy water and they were borne In by the high court dignitaries into the church and laid side by side on a catafalque in front of the altar. Meanwhile the master of ceremonies conducted the special missions and the diplomats to special tribunes built for their use. The interior of the ediice was draped from ceiling to floor with rich hangings of purple velvet embroid- cred in gold Vari-colored jewels encrust- ing the ebony cross gleamed in the sub dued light of numberless candles, which was also reflected from the jeweled orders covering the breasts of most of the mourners who filled the cathedral.
 Second AbsoIution.
 |. The second absolution having been pro-