The Penn's Grove record., 1914-08-28
SIMPLE FUNERAL
FOR POPE Plus X.
Few Present and Ceremony
Occupied Fifteen Minutes
SHORTEST IN 400 YEARS
1t Is Expected Selection Will Be Made
Early in September-Body Of Plus
X. Is Entombed in ST. Peters
After Viewed by Thousands.

Rome.-Never in 400 years has the
funeral of a Pope been SO simple az
that of Plus x. The ceremony occu-
pied only fifteen minutes. Only
diplomats, cardinals, officials and a
few invited friends were present.
The conclave of Cardinals to
elect a successor to Pope Plus x.
The body of Pope Plus was enclosed
in three caskets and entombed in st.
Peters with full ceremonies. For
even days there will be solemn ard
elaborate masses.
With the singing of psalms by the
chapel choir the late Pope's body was
carried from the chapel of the Sacra.
ment to the choir chapel and, after
being wrapped in a red coverlet, was
placed first in a coffin of cypress
wood. Into this coffin as well was
placed, according to custom, a purse
filled with gold, silver and copper
coins representing the number of
years the Pointiff lived, and a metal
cylinder containing a brief history OF
the Pope.
The cypress coffin was placed then
in n of lead, which in turn was
placed in one Of oak. The oak coffin
is decorated with the cross and the
coat of arms of the Pope and other
pontifical emblems.
The body rests in a niche to the
left of the choir chapel, where it
will remain until the permanent tomb
is prepared.
The holy conclave of Cardinals
to elect a successor to Pope Plus x.
will onven on schedule time. The
announcement was made by Cardinal
Chamberlain Della Volpe. 1t is gen
orally believed that the Cardinals will
be able to decide on a new Pope
in about four days. There have been
occasions when the Cardinals spent
weeks in casting fruitless ballots be-
fore a choice was made.
T~wenty-three Cardinals met and
arranged for the temporary govern
ment OF the Church until a new Pope
is elected.
These Cardinals after taking the
oeth to maintain secrecy "eYen to
the shedding of blood" performed
the traditional ceremony of breaking
the fsherman's ring. The rite was
not literally performed, however, be-
cause non of the Cardinals had the
strength to break the ring, even
though a hammer was employed. Ac-
cording to the rules of the Sacred
College, the ring should be broken
and then reset and presented to the
new Pope. AS this couldn't be done
it was scratched instead.
The Pope's testament, it was learn
ed, provides for the maintenance of
about. forty children who were made
orphans by the earthquake at Mes
sina and Calabria in 1908.
The death of the Pope has been
announced officially to the municipah-
ty Of Rome.
The Pope's sister Anna, who col
lapsed after his death, is much bet
ter.
The elimination of cardinals, so
that the most probable candidates for
the papacy might be listed, has been
under consideration. 1t is hardly be-
lieved possible that a foreign Pope
will be chosen. This removes 10
cardinals from the candidacy; and
1t is also considered unlikely that
the pontiff would be chosen from
among the cardinals more than 20
years of age, thus eliminating 25
more. Finally there are five cardinal
deacons, who, according to tradition,
could never be elected. Thus the
choice would lie among 16, some of
whom are believed to be obviously
out of the question, leaving Cardinals
Ferrari, Ferrata, Mafh Gasparri,
Pompili, De Lai and possibly one OF
two others from whom to select.