The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1922-01-24
FUNERAL OF POPE BENEDICT IS
SET FOR WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON
Much Speculation on the Prob
able Successor to the Late
POntiff - Cardinal
Maffi Spoken of.
(By The Associated Press)

hOME, Jan. Z0.-Ine lnlefmenC OF
Benedict XIV has been tentatively
fixed for Wednesday afternoon. The
body will lie in state in the basilica of
ISt. Peters only a day and a half more,
according to the present plans. Bene-
diets wish not to be embaImed neces-
states departure from the custom that
the pope's body lie in state for three
days.
Final decision will be taken on this
question Wednesday morning, but the
present view of the vatican is that it
will be impossible to keep the body
exposed beyond Wednesday afternoon.
The statement also was made tonight,
but not officially, that the coffin
would be closed within a few hours,
and that thus the usual ceremony of
worshippers filing past kissing the un-
covered foot of the dead pope, will be
eliminated.
The removal of the body from the
throne room to the basilica this morn
ing was the occasion of an imposing
ceremony. The bier was held shoul-
der high by ushers clad in costumes of
scarlet, flanked by noble guards. The
sacred college followed, headed by the
dead, Cardinal Vannute1i, each taking
his position according to rank. Car
JIra IL
distance behind the dean, although oc-
cupying the post of Camerlingo, or
head of the Roman church during the
interregnum.
On entering the main door of st.
Peters, the funeral party was received
by the clergy Of the great basilica, who
escorted the cortege down the main
central aisle to a position in the CEN
ter of the church just opposite the
statue OF St. Peter. There absoIution
took place. The bier was then raised
aloft and was passed into the chapel
of the holy sacrament where the pub
lie can view the body through the i'm
mense iron gates.
The certificate of the pope's death
which was registered today, will be
entered into the records of the capital
at 1880 o'clock tomorrow morning, in
virtually the same manner as for all
Roman citizens.
Participation of the American cardi-
nails in the conclave, the date for the
opening of which has been definitely
fixed for February 2, is stiTl possible
but is regarded as doubtful by the
secretary of state. A cable message has
been received from Cardinal O'Con-
nell, OF BostoI. announcing he has
taken passage for Rome tomorrow,
while Cardinal Dougherty has cabled
ne viii not reach Philadelphia before
Fri 4e.s
Monsignor Pizzardo. who is acting
sec. c ro,ry of state, said today that
Cardinal O'Conneu had a possible
chance of reaching Rome in time, pro-
viding the conclave does not choose a
new pope on the first ballot.
Asked concerning the possibility of
possible postponing the conclave to
! tend, replied that the constitution
purpose, as the conclave must be SaHed
WlIllln ~ Oa3S alleE the uedIn cI the
pope.
| A consistory under the presidency OF
Cardinal Gasparri met this evening
and decided definitely on February 2
The secretary requested that the Asso-
ciated Press correspondent set right
the erroneous impression to the eff
feet that once the conclave began its
sessions no late arrival could enter.
Cardinals O'Conneil and Dougherty
may enter the conclave at any time ii
is sitting, he said "and may even par
ticipate in the last ballot"
| The secretariste is flooded with
| thousands of messages of coincidence
and sympathy from all corners of the
globe, signed by the heads Of the
greatest states and the humblest par
ish priests, written practically in al
modern languages, and many Of them
| in Latin.
There has been nuhc speculation or
the probable successor of Benedict. but
there is no outstanding figure. The
Popolo Romano, however, says that
Cardinal Maffi. archbishop of Pisa, is
| the governments candidate, in conse-
quence OF his high patriotism.