Imperial Valley press., 1913-04-21
INTERNATIONAL EUCHARlST|C
CONGRESS MEETS IN MALTA
BY UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATIONS

lBY UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATIONS
ROME, April 21-Cardinal Ferrata.
Papal legate to the twenty-fourth in
ternational eucharistic congress Of the
Catholic Church, sailed today from Syr-
acuse, on the southern coast of Sicily
Tor the historic island of Malta, where
the congress will formally open to
morrow. The cardinal sailed on
British man-of-war. which had been
placed at his disposal by the English
government. to whom the island of
Malta belongs. With his eminence on
board was also his personal suite. 80
of the leading archbiShOpS and bishops
of Rome. score of prominent Vatican
prelates and several hundred pilgrims
simultaneously with the sailing of
the war vessel three ordinary steam
ships also sailed, having on board near
lE 200o other pilgrims. Still othe
steamers will sail tomorrow, while two
immense pilgrimages. one from Amer
lea and one from England, will arrive
in special steamships direct from New
ork and London. All in all, the for
NAL opening of the congress tomorrow
is expected to be made in the presence
Of not less than 5000 pilgrims from
all parts of the world. probably the
greatest number of foreigners that
have been on the little island since the
middle ages.
The congress, which will last until
next Monday, will be the fourth in
The series which Pope Plus inaugurated
HtN tL dl ears dS o. ne HISl Oh THESE
was held, at Montreal, Canada, to which
his holiness sent as the papal dele
gate Cardinal Vannutelli, one of the
most distinguished members of the sa
cred college. At the second of the
series, held at Madrid, the king Of
Spain took a prominent part, while
last years congress at Vienna was
personally participated in by every
member of the royal family, from En-
perOr Franz Josef down. and the papal
Iegate, Cardinal Van Rossum, was
lodged in the royal palace.
To the congress which begins to-
morrow at Malta a special note of in
terest of an entirely different character
has been added This is due to the fact
that the island has been given serious
consideration as a possible solution for
the Vatican Quirinal question. Several
years ago when relations at Rome be
came seriously strained the English
government was even approached on
the subject of turning over the island
10 the pope as the future seat of the
Vatican and as an Independent tenn
poral kingdom under the sovereignty
of the pope. While the matter was
dropped at that time, it has been re
Vived the past year and it is freely
admitted in Vatican circles that Pope
Plus may have had such a solution in
mind when the rather out of the way
place was selected by him for this
years congress.
Although Cardinal Ferrata will ar
rive at Malta late this afternoon, he
will not go ashore until tomorrow. He
will first be met on board the man of
war by the dignitaries Of the island,
headed by Auxiliary Bishop of Malta
Monsignor Portelli, on behalf of the
church, and Sir Joseph Carbone, on be
half of the English government. When
Inc landing is finally made the entire
avenue from the wharf to the episcopal
palace, and through this double line
Of troops his eminence will pass.
For the congress the English govern