The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-10-25
PRINCESS OF
ITALY WEEDS
BULGAR KING
Giovanni and Boris Are
United in Rites at
Medieval Church.
CEREMONY IS SIMPLE
Ancient Town of Assist
GayIy Decorated for
Royal NuptialS.
BY THOMAS =. MORGAN
United Press stan Correspondent

United Press stan Correspondent
ASSIST, Italy, oct. 25.-A smiling,
happy princess became the bride
of a handsome king here today.
Giovanni of Savoy and Boris III
Of Bulgaria, house of Saxe-Coburg-
Gotha, were married in the upper
bssilica OF S.. Francis, famous
medieval church where the Fran
ciscan order was founded.
The ceremony, simple in compar-
ison with most royal weddings, be
gan at II a. m. and was concluded
IN half an hour.
Princess Giovanna looked very
happy when the royal wedding party
reached the church. She was OBJ
viously calm. for she smiled and
spoke to a Franciscan monk at the
church entrance, who previously had
shown her over the basilica.
The bride wore a creamy White
satin dress. Her head was covered
with a long veil and priceless lace.
Her mother, Queen Helen OF Italy,
was dressed in slate colored satin
and wore a veil.
Premier BenitO Mussolini wore his
pripe ministers uniform, complete
with cooked hat and sword.
Altar Laden With Roses
Father Antonio Risso, father Gus
todian of the Franciscans, per-
formed the ceremony before the
main altar Of the upper basilica, in
the presence of members Of both
royal families.
silver and pale blue were the
dominant tones in women's dresses.
Nearly all of them wore cream lace.
The high altar was laden with
masses of white roses, above which
six candles stood out like masts.
Two nuns from an English con-
vent i'm Rome. who had nursed
Princess Giovanna during a child
hood illness, were guests in the pro-
ccesion. which wound its way
through a rainstorm to the church.
In the lower church, where the
Wedding party proceeded after the
ceremony in the upper baSilica, only
members of the two royal families
went to the altar. Boris and
C-i0vanna entered the crypt alone
end prayed at st. Francis tomb.
Europe's Youngest Queen
Most of Assist had remained
wake all night. holding feteS OF
celebra ton. crowds filed the streets
early in the day. and many peasants
arrived who had walked miles for
q glimpse OF the princess and the
king.
Buildings in the town were dec
Grated gavly and windows we're filled
With flowers.
Giovanni. who will be % in No
vember. became Erope's youngest
queen by her marriage. The we'd
ding was also the first postwar
union of ruling families who were
enemies in the World war
The royal party arrived here by
rain and travelled to the church
in one hundred automobiles. The
procession formed at the station
and followed a route of two miles
10 the basilica. f1anked by a guard
OF 1000 troops.
Communal Wallets in fourteenth
century costumes of red and blue
formed a guard of honor outside
the church. and sounded the call
10 attention on silver trumpets as
The procession came into view.
They played the hymn of Assist
and followed the wedding process
sion into the baSilica.
Choir of 500 Sings
Inside. 300 little girls of Assist
cast white roses in the path OF the
princess. Eight communal Wallets
stood beside the altar and sounded
the call to attention at the elevation
during mass, and repeated the hymn
of Assist.
Behind the altar we're fifty of the
kings own cuiraSSiers, standard
bearers of the flag of Assist.
Father Risso assembled to the altar
as the royal couple knelt.
Nll6ll UlaSS WIS COluplCltQ tIiC
nuptial ceremony was begun by the
placing of the ring upon the brides
finger. The bride and bridegroom
and the witnesses signed the neces-
Sary registers after the ceremony
and the procession reformed and
proceeded to the lower baSilica.
The wedding party proceeded
slowly across the lawn of the church
while a choir of 800 Franciscans,
dressed in the severe garb of the
order. sang a motel
40 Girls Make Veil
The bells of the towns churches
pealed the joyous news of the union
as the wedding party. headed by
King Boris with his bride on his
arm, walked TO the lower basilica.
Here the king, his new queen
and the entire party venerated the
ashes Of st. Francis in prayer before
his tomb.
The wedding veil worn by the
princess. the gift of the commune
of Assist. was made by forty local
girls working IN day and night
shifts tor three weeks