Norwich bulletin., 1922-01-27
Benedict's ? in
Crypt Peters
Alongside I Of Plus x
impressive High Pontificial
Rite Of Burial.

Rome, Jan. rs (By ths A P).-Be-
meath the hagstones OF st. Peters. where
thousands of pilgrims come each year,
lie the mortal remains of Benedict XIV,
whose benignant efforts through all the
years Of the war were directed toward
peace, and. after the war to the pacifica-
tion Of Europe and the world.
The burial ceremony took place at
o'clock this afternoon. and in the light
of the perpetualiy burning tapers the
body was lowered into its tomb. Those
cardinals who had gathered in Rome for
the conclave which is to elect a new pope
assembled in the basilica of st. Peters
together with the diplomatic representa-
tives of the foreign nations accredited to
the Holy See. Outside the edifice great
crowds knelt in PRAYER and waited for
the end of the solemn ceremonial.
The strains Of the "Miserere" swelling
through the vast basilica, the martial
! step and elank of swords of the pontifical
armed forces the lowering robes of pre-
ates rich violet. blending with the
| striking costumes of the Swiss guards,
| the gendermerie and the noble guards,
and contrasting with the simple black of
the diplomatic corps combined to give a
bpicturesque inpressiveness to the high
pontif1cal rite of burial.
IHe CHolE pFoCeedeQ from Julian chapel,
| on the south side of St. Peters, across
| the transept to the Chapel of the Holy
Sacrament, where the body of the late
pope lay in state. Bishop viri1i. celebrant
of the ceremony, followed the choir and
! at the end of the procession came Car
dinal Merry Del Val. arch priest of St
| Peters,
Two lines of guards were drawn up
| from the Chapel of the Holy Sacrament
to the high pontifieal altar. Swiss guards
in full dress uniform, with quaint me.
diaeval helmet and flowing plumes guard
ed the entrance to the chapel of the
choir. Gendarmes. six feet tall, with lace
and silver epaulets, stood watch at The
/ entrance to the basilica while the long
lines between the two chapels were taker
up by Palatne guards in blue and cerise
i The cardinals entered the basilics
through the Julian door and took thei,
places in the chapel of the choir, seated
in the high stalls on the left while tn.
diplomats occupied the right AS Cardi
nal Gasparri entered, escorted by Swis
guards and acolytes. he was honored a
sovereign because of his accession a
Camerlengo. He appeared to be deepi,
moved; his face bore the marks of in
: tense mental suffering for Benedict X
: was more than chief; he was his lifelon
and intimate friend.
+ The body was placed on the shoulder
: of the relocated ushers and the soiem
procession moved with slow and meas
D ured step. headed by a giant lieutenar
of the gendarmerie. with drawn swort
Behind him were his stalwart gendarme
: six deep. An escort of Palatine guard
followed, and then the Swiss guards. Th
: priests of the basilica took up a posnio
y behind these. and after them came al
other group Of Swiss guards bearing u,
: lifted swords and halberds
/. After the ceremony ih the 'cbaazf Of II
: choir the procession reformed and pr,
ceeded to a position before the high POI
5 tifcal altar Immediately under the SD;
cious dome. The cardinals this time fo
i, lowed in the procession and took plac
l. along the rail leading to the crypt. tt
: body, now encased in its casket, W;
l. carried to a platform specially construc
ed for lowering into the crypt Chai1
,r were adjusted, and the casket was slo,
,r ly swung into the tomb. without furth
rt ceremony except the distant singing
the choir in the chapel. which echo
., down the aisles.
AS the casket dropped lower, the care
A. nails showed deep grief and all DIRE
w nearer to the entrance to the crypt; th
when the ceremony was over they NOV
silently. to the Julian chapel AS final
a, placed. Benedct's body lies alongside
that of Plus x, just before the statue
:. Queen Christina Of Sweden.