The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1908-04-21
SACRILEGE IN THE VATICAN.
Communion PrOfaned by visitors VOuehed
For by Austrian Diplomat.
special cable Despatch 10 THR suS.

Special CdNs Despatch 10 THE Sun.
ROME, April 20. The entire Catholic popu-
lation Of Rome il incensed at an act OF
sacrilege that was committed yesterday in
the Pope's private chapel during the oele-
bration Of the Faster mass hy the Pope.
The congregation numbered about 200 All
afterward paTtook Of the Holy Communion.
Among them we're two women n a man
who had been admitted on h estrong recon-
mendation Of the Austro-H Hungarian AM
bassador 10 the Vatican.
While the Pope was administering the
sacrament these three were seen TO remove
the consecrated bread from their mouths.
One Of the women was seen actually casting
hers on the floor.
The Pope was Mortified The offenders
were Immediately expelled from the chapel.
They were recognized by the Ambassador,
who was present. Later they were identified
as Prof. Feilbogen ot the University OF
Vienna and his wife and si~ster-in-law.
The Pope. hiding his deep emotion and
ama2ement with a view to preventing a
scandal, hushed up the incident From the
chapel the trio Of offenders we're taken to
the Major. Domo's office, where they said
they we're not Christians and had received
the communion through a mistake and
spat ont the Host, not believing 1t TO he
consecrated.
The incident, in spite Of all efforts at
secrecy, became generally known in the
afternoon. The Pope was 50 grieved that
he wept bitterly, He Is convinced that the
sacrilege was premeditated. The Austro-
Hungarian Ambassador will be recalled,
il IL said.
The Sistine Chapel will not need reconse-
Grafton. as was at first feared. since sacrt-
lege does not constitute proclamation. The
three persons who offended say they did
not intend any outrage against Catholicism.
They say they received the communion
mistakenly and did not actually spit out the
Host. They only attempted and failed
because they were detected.
They nov realize the enormity Of their act
for which regret the Pope hopes they will
receive Gods grace and that they will be-
come Catholics, the only way in which they
can atone for their offence.
Despite the secular character ~ mcst Of
the newspapers here and the popular an
tipathy to the Vatican the s~aonlege at the
Sistine Chapel is sharply condemned. The
question Ia discussed whether the offenders
cannot he punished by law.
II is recalled that six months ago at the
height Of the anti-olerical agitation two
lads behaved in a parish church with de-
hberate bravado similarly to the jews in
the Sistine Chapel They were seized by
the officiating priest and handed over To the
police. They were indicted for outraging
the religion Of the State and sentenced 10
several months imprisonment.
1t il contended that the police cannot
move in the present case unless the Vatican
specially requests them to do so, as the Sic
tine Chapel is regarded as extra territorial,
1t is stated that the Pope firmly refuses 10
invoke the law, but prays for the conversion
Of the offenders. Plus Y. Is terribly shaken
by the affair and feels that the body Of
Christ was outraged in his person az Christs
vicar.