The Washington herald., 1913-12-21
SACRED COLLEGE
MUST meet Soon
Unprecedented Situation i
Vatican Demands Early
Consistory.
NONE HELD SINCE 1911
Matters Of Grave Importance Demand
Immediate Attention Of
Prelates.
NONE HELD SINCE 1911
Special Cable TO Tse wa1hingtoa Herald.

Special Cable to The Washington Herald.
Rome, Dec 0-The unexpected death
on Wednesday Of Cardinal Rampolla, fol-
lowing upon the demise on December s
of the venerable Cardinal oreglia. dean
Of the Sacred College and cameriengo Of
the Holy See. has Created a great deal
Of uncertainty in the ecclesiastical circles
of Rome as to the date Of the next con-
sistory.
That a consistory is considerably over
due and cannot be much longer delayed
is generally acknowledged, owing to the
many vacancies existing in the Sacred
College and other matters OF the gravest
Importance to the Roman C1tholic
Church which demand immediate atten-
ton
The year Just closing has been one Of
the most disastrous on record for the
Sacred College death having removed no
fewer than ten cardinals since the con-
sistory In 1911, at which Cardinals Farley,
OF New York, and O'Connell. Of Boston.
received their red hats.
Among the cardinals who have passed
on this year are Rampolla, Capecelatro,
Respighi. and oregiia, all Italians, and
Tuto, a Spaniard, and all among the
most influential men in the higher circles
Of the Curia- The deaths of Cardinals
Oreglia and Wives Tuto left vacancies
hard enough to I'LL, and now comes with
dramatic suddenness the death OF Ram
polla, making the situation almost with
out precedence in the annals OF the
Sacred College.
Cardinal Tuto will, perhaps, be the
most difficult OF the trio to replace. He
was very close in the inner councils of
the Vatican. besides being the Pope's
most trusted friend and chief adviser.
Cardinal RampoIla had held aloof from
all political and administrative matters
since his defeat for the papacy at the
conclave which chose Cardinal Sarto, now
Pope Plus X, in 1909
Was Likely Successor.
It was Cardinal Tuto who was respon-
sible for almost every document issued
during the present papacy, and II Is q
notable fact that since his demise not
q single document has been issued.
Notwithstanding his rejection by the
veto" privilege exercised by Austria at
the 1905 conclave, Cardinal Rampolla was
considered the nkeliest successor to Pope
Plus X had he survived his holiness. As
II Is. Cardinal Seraino Vanutelli. now
sub-dean, succeeds automatically to the
position Of dean Of the Sacred College,
but II Is now an open question as to who
will be appointed sub-dean, a post which
surely would have gone to Cardinal Ram
polla-
But what Is more important still Is the
question as to who Will succeed Cardinal
Oreglia as camerlengo. Of master Of cere-
monies. Of the Holy See Three names
are prominently mentioned in this con-
nection. They are Cardinals Farrata, De
Lai and Falconio, the last-named of the
trio being so well known to the Catho-
lies of the United States. II is understood
that the Pope recently approached Car
dinal Falconio personally. but met with
a gentle refusal on the ground Of increas-
ing years, his eminence now approaching
his seventy-hrst birthday. The office of
cameriengo itself is considered next in
Importance to that of the Pope himself.
II would seem now as though the choice
lay between Cardinals Ferrata and De
Lai. with the chances Of appointment
about equal
II Is certain, however, that every effort
will be made for an early assemblage of
the consistory, which has been delayed
chiefly owing to the delicate state Of the
pontiffs health, as it was learned that
the fatigue sure to follow upon the many
ceremonies necessary would cause seri-
Gus results to the beloved Hermit Of the
Vatican"