Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1921-03-25
GIBBONS FUNERAL
NEXT THURSDAY
To Be Buried In Crypt I'm
der Altar of Cath
edral
BELL TOLL TIDINGS
Final Stage of Cardinals Illness Be-
gun Sunday-H0nored by Four
POntiffS

Baltimore, March 25.-The funeral
of James Cardinal Gibbons, arcnb;sh-
op of Baltimore and leading Roman
Catholic prelate Of the world, vino
died at the age of eighty-six yester-
day at the archbishop's residence, will
be held next Thursday morning at
the Cathedral.
A pontifical high mass will be
celebrated, probably by Cardinal
O'Connell, of Boston, or some other
high dignitary of the church. The
mass will begin at 10 o'clock. The
body will be buried in crypt under
The altar Of the Cathedral.
Masses will De said daily begin
ming Monday. On that day the Rev.
Louis R. Stickney, rector of the
Cathedral. will be celebrant and ten
children from each parochal school,
academy and college in the diocese
will be present. On Tuesday the mass
will be for the sisterhoods and brother
hoods and will be celebrated by the
Rev. Eugene Connolly, chancellor, of
the archdiocese. On Wednesday ponit:
fical high mass will be celebrated by
Bishop Currigan for the laity of the
church
A message from Rome signed by
Cardinal Gaspar, papal secretary Of
state. was received shortly before
the death of Cardinal giobons. The
message contained the blessing and
benedictior of Pope Benedict.
Cardinal Gibbons death occurred
at 11.33 o'clock.
DR.. Charles j. O'Donnovan, per-
sonal physician of the Cardinal, spent
most of the morning at the bedside of
the dying prelate.
When he left at 11.20 o'clock he
notified the members Of the house
hold that the Cardinal, because of his
weakened condition could live but a
short time longer. The members of the
household then joined the Bon Secour
nun who had been nursing the Cardi-
nal since he became i'll last November
at his bedside. They were the Rev.
Lewis r. Stickney, rector, Rev. AL
oert E. Smith, secretary to the Car
dinal; Rev. Connolly, chancellor 'of
the archdiocese of Baltimore, the Rev;
Edward Leonard and the Rev. Will
liam j. Hafey.
They were joined few minutes
later by the Cardinals confessor, the
Rev. John Boyer. of St. Mary's Semi
nary.
FIR. Stickney then read the prayers
for the lying and administered again
the last rites of the church. The nun
said the Cardinal breathed his last at
11.33 o'clock, but she did not officially
pronounce him dead until 11.37 o'clock
Immediately after the death Of the
Cardinal. FIR. Connolly, as chancel-
lor of the archdiocese officially noti-
fled Bishop Owen B. Corrigan, auxili-
airy bishop of Baltimore and pastor of
st. Gregory's Church, of the death OF
the prelade. Bishop Corrigan at once
sent cablegram to Pope Benedict
XIV, in Rome, while Fr. Connolly sent
kilograms to every archbishop and
bishop in America.
When Mayor Broenng was notified
of the Cardinals death he had the
bell in the City Hall dome tolled for
several minutes and ali the flags on
the municipal buildings placed at half
mast.
Pope Benedict sent his blessing to
the Cardinal in the following cable
! gram:
"The Holy Father, invoking heaven
" blessings and comforts on His
Eminence Cardinal Gibbons sends 10
him from the bottom of his heart the
apostolic benediction."
Tine blessing was received few
minutes before the Cardinal died.
The final stage Of the Cardinals
illness began on Sunday. After hav-
ing recovered sufficiently from the
failure a. his health in November u
:,e able 10 move about his home and
even 60 out, the Cardinal became
very much weaker on Sunday and was
unable TO leave his bed. His hearth &C
! lion tecamc ala,rllI CIV veal. and his