The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1913-04-14

within the vatican walls furnished no
indication today that Piux \ was lying
on what might be his death bed.
The thought that Rome may be wit
Messing the final days of Pope Plus X.
imbues all church ceremonials with even
greater interest than they customarily
command at this season when the Holy
City is at its best, sheltering pilgrims
ano sightseers from the entire globe.
Many thousands of such thronged this
morning the church of St. John Lateran
for the final ceremony celebrating the
Constantinian jubilee. Cardinal Vinci
Vanuteli. who represented the vatican
at the Escharistic congresses In London
and Montreal, had been specially dele
gated by the pope to celebrate pontifical
mass. All the cardinals in Rome, NUNS
bering 20. and other dignitaries assisted.
Notable Assemblage
There was a notable assemblage of
patriarchs and archbishops officials of
the vatican staff heads of religious
orders and colleges in ecclesiastical robes
and foreign diplomats to the papal court
in uniforms. The ceremony was heigh-
tened by music by the famous Sistine
choir. The great pillars of ST. John
were hung with draperies of crimson
and gold; clusters of candles numbering
deliers. The service occupied two hours
The procession of cardinals, gorgeously
robed, and lesser members of the heir
archy could only be seen in Rome.
The multitudinous congregation included
varying elements, striking in their con-
trasts. The most arlstoeratic. Italian no.
bility brushed against bronzed and coll
larless peasants and old women with
handkerchiefs around their heads. Ameri-
rleafl
with parish priests from, many countries,
making the pilgrimage of their life
time, monks and frars FROM Spain, Italy
and the Philippines, some In black and
others in brown robes, their waist bound
with rope and with sandalled feet.
Only a few hundred nearest the altar
We're able to and follow the service.
Thousands knelt throughout the vast
space; others eddied about, whispering
in many tongues.
IN accordance of Pope Leo Ill his tomb
was prepared in st. John Lateran by the
cardinals The cremated body still re-
mains, however. in the temporary vault
in st. Peters, for fear of repetition of
the unseemly riots by anti-clericals on
the occasion of the transport of the body
of Plus TX to its last resting place. The
general opinion now prevails that old
hostiities and vindictiveness have died
away.
Heavy showers falling almost con-
stantly discouraged the faithful and
curious alike from keeping watch under
the windows of the palace. An UNI
broken current of visitors poured in and
out of st. Peters all day long. This is
usually the case when the capital is
filled with strangers but only few to-
day recognized the windows of the pope $
chamber, with their closed shutters and
stopped to gaze upon them.
Motors from the embassies to the papal
court drove up during the afternoon. The
occupants made inquiries as to the pom
tiffs condition and wrote their names
in the visitors book. Many carriages
stopped at the entrance, seeking the lat
est news from the guards. Tonight the
heavy rain continues. Save for few
lights at the palace windows there are
no signs about the vatican.
kilograms of inquiry poured into the
vatican throughout the day from every
quarter of the world. The number was
so great that individual answers were
impossible. The pope showed the keen
est interest in the messages and told
The papal secretary of state, Cardinal
Merry Del Val, to keep them all so that
he could read and answer them when
his condition improved
The messages included inquiries from
Emperor William of Germany and EN-
peror Francis Joseph of Austria Hungary
and the kings of Spain and Saxony.
All the churches were crowded this
morning Prayers were intoned for the
suffering pontiff.