The San Francisco call., 1909-12-23
SOLEMN POMP
MARKS BURIAL
OF DEAD KING
LeOpOId's Body Is Laid. to Rest
in Royal Vault in Church
at Laeken
Requiem Mass Celebrated by
Cardinal Mercier Is Said
in the Cathedral

BRUSSELS. Dec. 22-The body of
Leopold IT, king of the Belgians, was
placed today in the royal burial vault
in the Chreah of st. Mary at Laeken,
the suburban residence of the royal
family Near it rest the remains of
his queen, Marie Henriette. the princess
Josephine, and the young duke of Bra
bant.
The funeral and burial were conduct
ed with all the pomp and ceremony OF
which the state was capable despite the
wishes expressed by the monarch in
bis Will, that the obsequies should be of
the simplest.
A holiday had been proclaimed and
thousands of persons filed the streets
during the services. Early in the day
the body was taken from the royal
1 palace to the cathedral of st. Michael
and St Buedel where impressive fu-
neral ritss were held. From the church
the cortege moved to Laeken.
A torrential rain accompanied by a
/ driving wind ushered in the day, but
as the cortege left the royal palace and
moved to the cathedral the downpour
! ceased.
The imperial nave of the cathedral
was draped with long tapestries of
black bordered with white and form
ing somber background for the
! famous statues of the apostles The
majestic catafalque surmounted by the
! crown and embedded in a mass OF
! glowing tapers rested in the center OF
! the transcept. On either side were
! strea mers of mourning suspended from
J the dome. The main altar was ablaZe
with candles. In the body of the
church were grouped foreign princes
! diplomats, delegations and government
officials.
! CORTEGE ENTERS TRANSCEPT
The cortege entered the transcept
/ portal, headed by officers of the army
/ and civic guard in full uniform and
followed by the judges in their scarlet
/ robes, the ministers, members of par
! lament and many priests. The priests
/ intonation of DE Profundis' filed the
I great edifice as the huge cross ap-
/ peared, followed by Cardinal Mercier,
/ the archbishop Of Melines, whose tall
! figure and pale, ascetic face gave add
ed solemnity TO the occasion. Behind
the velvet covered casket walked
! Prince Albert, wearing the uniform OF
general.
A requiem mass was celebrated by
/ the cardinal. The famous collegiate
choir of Brussels rendered without or
! gan accompaniment Dies Irae" and
! De Profundis."
The mass was followed by the rites
/ of absolution performed over the body
| by five bishops and the papal nuncio
! This concluded, the cortege was re-
formed and proceeded to the church al
! Laeken, where the burial was made.
AS the military cortege left the
cathedral and passed through the
denser parts of the city the crowds in
/ creased and impatiently surged against
the cordons of soldiers. The latter
were unable to restrain the spectators
who soon became riotous.
For a time disorder prevailed. The
lines were broken and in the hopeless
confusion that followed the carriages
1 of the members of parliament were
/ intercepted and the funeral parade al
but broken up. The police and sol
| diers struggled with the excited people
and in the clash many persons were sc
bruised that they were sent to hos.
| pitals.
At Laeken burial service was held
The assembIage included the women OF
the royal family.
Kings Sons at Mass
PoNToIsE, France, Dec. 22.-Lucier
and Philippe, sons of the late King
! Leopold and baroness Vaughan, ac-
companied by their governess, drove
from Balincourt to the little village o.
/ Arronville today and attended specia
/ mass celebrated by Able Mornant fol
| the repose of the monarch's soul. The
/ mayor and other personages prominent
| in the village life were present. Bar.
oness Vaughan did not appear.
Taft to Attend Mass
WASHINGTON, Dec 22.-Presiden
Taft, accompanied by practically al
the members of the cabinet, will attend
the solemn high mass Of requiem t.
be held in ST. Matthew's Roman Cath