Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1914-05-09
How Ceremonies of Giving Big
lietto and Conferring Berretta
Are Conducted.
Death Deprives Germany of Rep
resentation i'm the Sacred
College.
The SCARLET HAT IS TREASURED

Although thirteen prelates nave
been publicly nominated to receive
Cardinalates at the Consistory to be
held in the week of May rs, it is
quite likely, according to those who
are acquainted with the policy of
the Vatican, that the actual number
is larger--may even approach the
maximum membership of the Sacred
College, which is seventy-six Car
dinal Bishops holding suburbicary
sees, fifty Cardinal priests and four
teen Cardinal Deacons.
The comparatively recent deaths
of FIVE Cardinals, Wives y Tuto,
Oreglia, Rampolla, Katschthaler and
Kopp, left eighteen vacancies. What
is important about these vacancies
Is that Oreglia's death left vacant
the important Roman see of 0stia,
while the death of Kopp deprived
Germany of her only representative
in the Sacred College.
New Cardinals are created and
Bishops confirmed in their posts in
two most gorgeous and impressive
ceremonies at the Vatican-the
Secret and Public Consistories-the
former entirely private, and held
always on a Monday or Thursday,
and the latter open to the public,
three or four days after the other
The new Cardinals are named at the
Secret Consistory, after which the
Pontifical Master of Ceremonies de-
livers to all the appointees within
Rome the "biglietto" (notice of ap-
pointment). At the Public Con-
sistory they receive the "beretta" or
scarlet hat of Office. The Pope pre-
sides in person over the Secret
Consistory, no one aside from in
vited prelates being allowed at the
meeting except a reigning monarch.
On the day previous to that on
which the Consistory is to be held
a special official of the Vatican is
admitted to the presence of the
Pope, and kneeling before His Holi-
ness asks the question:
Health and long life to you, o
Holy Father; is there to be a Secret
Consistory on the morrow"
The Pope having replied in the
affirmative an hour is fixed, and the
messengers are that evening dis
patched to all the Cardinals with
the information, whereupon the lat
ter prepare for the important event.
A hall in the Vatican is made ready
for the Consistory, and at the ap-
pointed hour all the Cardinals as
semble before throne of crimson,
which is on a dais at the head of
the room, to await the appearance
of the Pope. AS the Pope enters,
followed by the prelates of his suite,
the order is given by officials to
leave the chamber, and the Pope
delivers an address to his Cardinals
on the duties of their Office and the
Importance of their mission. in the
world. On some occasions these
addresses have remained a secret,
the outside world never hearing
what has been said, but on latter
occasions 1t has been the custom to
permit an authorized summary to be
published. After the address the
Pope proclaims the name or names
of those whom he has chosen,
whereupon the members of the Con-
sistory rise, and doffing their red
silk caps, bow to show their agree
ment with the choice. On rare oc-
casions the Pope announces the
creation OF a Cardinal whose name
Is not announced for some time
perhaps for some years. In such a
case the Cardinal is said to be re-
served Sin petto" (that is to say
the name remains In the bosom oi
the Pope). After his announce
ment the Pope prefaces the list oi
new Cardinals with the words:
"By the authority of God AL
mighty and that of the Apostles
Peter and Paul, and our own, W,
create the following Cardinals"
The Consistory is then over, bu
the recipients of the honor hav,
still many formalities to go through
Every new Cardinal residing II
Rome receives visit from a mes
senger of the Office of the Secretar!
OF State bearing notice of his elec
ton; a visit from the Cancelarii
giving him a decree of the Con
slstory, and visit from the Maste
OF Ceremonies stating when the Pop
will be pleased to bestow the Der
retta. After receiving the berrettl
the new Cardinals are given the ha
at public Consistory, and this cere
mony is the most stately Of all. !
takes place in the Sala Regia o
the Vatican. to which the leader
of Roman society are admitted. to
gether with Ambassadors to the Hol
See.
The Pope's throne on this occasio
Is most elaborate one. II has
canopy OF violet silk. decorated wit
gold, and around the throne Is al
ranged a magnificent tapestry. o
which is the figure OF Religion wit
her feet on the world. The eide
Cardinals approach the throne an
kiss the Pope's hand, afterwar
taking seats on either side OF hin
In a deep silence the audience walt
on the Master OF Ceremonies. VIII
cries, LET them advance" and III
advocates OF the Consistory an
other of'cials kneei before II