Middletown transcript., 1922-01-28
Would Live
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1878.
Became secretary to Monsignor
Rampolla, afterward Cardinal
Rampolla, when the prelate was
Papal Nuncio to Madrid, Spain, in
1883.
Returned to Rome with Cardinal
Rampolla and entered the Secre-
taryship of State, one of the
"minutanti" in 1887.
Appointed substitute of the Sec
retariate and secretary Of the
cypher in 1901 under Cardinal
Merry del Val.
Appointed Archbishop of Bo-
logna December Is, 1907, by Pope
Piux and on December 25,
1907, consecrated irr ~une 5.stine
Chapel by the Pontiff
Created a Cardinal by Pope
Plus X at Consistory May 25, 1914.
Elected Pope September 8, 1914
Took name of Pope Benedict
XIV and give his first apostolic
blessing September 3, 1914.
Rome.-Pope Benedict's death oc-
CURED at o'clock Sunday morning.
The end had been expected for sew
eral hours. The attending physicians,
Cardinal Gasparri and other members
of the Pope's household were present
a. the bedside.
From midnight all hope had been
abandoned, ana at . o'clock DR.. Bat
tistini announced that the Pope could
not live longer than four hours at the
maximum.
Cardinal Merry del Val assumed
control Of the affairs of the church
pending the election of successor to
the Pope.
Rome.-At one lucid period the Pope
was able to partake of nourishment;
he then instructed the Major Domo to
wake him in time for mass, to be cele-
brated at $50 in the morning in his
chapel adjoining the bed room.
DR.. Battistini, the chief attending
physician visited the patient several
times Saturday evening and through
pdt tiit night. IJdCu lll1lt he Sdlu IDdT
any minute might see the conclusion
of the long hours of suffering through
which Benedict XIV had passed in his
fight for life.
Saturday was day of great uncer-
tainty in Rome and deep anxiety
among those who watched and prayed
ri the Vatican, for virtually all hope
of the Pope recovery was abandoned
even in the early hours OF the morn
ing.
AS the hours passed. the wonder
grew at the recuperatiye powers of
the Holy Father, which enabled him
to pass from one sinking spell and
another to periods of comparative
restfulness and strength 1t was this
changing condition that inspired
hope at one moment and gave rise to
rumors OF death at another
Cardinal Gasparri, Papal Secretary
Of State, received a great number of
kilograms from all parts of the
world, including messages from King
George OF England, King Alfonso of
Spain, the King of the Belgians and
the President of Brazil The Cardinal
spent considerable time in the sick
room. but entered the ante-chamber
shortly after o'clock in the evening,
where he was surrounded by those
who had waited hours for definite
news.
During all the hours of his suffer
.ns, the Pope never relinquished his
affability toward those of his house
hold who attended him, smiling, even
bantering the doctors, and recogniz-
Ing and appreciating every attention
from his visitors. On his bed of pain
the Pontiff seemed a figure of impos-
Ing moral grandeur.
When Cardinal Gasparri was unable
to put his hand on the Pontifical will
In a drawer of the desk, the Pope
called to him.
Your eyes are bad. Bring me the
drawer, ]. will look myself"
Thus, through hours of agony, there
tell from his mouth for each who ap-
preached him a word and a smile. a
thank you or some word of encour-
agement.
More than once during the past few
days it has been remarked that Bene-
dict preserved on his sick bed the
same zeal, the same lucid.ty, the same
spirit which he showed in his daily
audiences, it might even be said to