Evening star., 1936-05-31
THRONGS TO HONOR
POPE ON Birthday
10000 Pour Into Rome for
Today's Observance of
10Th Anniversary.
RS the Associated Press.

Ey lnc ESSUCIdIcQ FTeSS.
VATICAN CITY, May 3o.-Ten
thousand pilgrims poured into Rome
tonight for tomorrow's celebration Of
the 10th birthday anniversary Of Plus
XI, Pope of the Cancellation"
With the pilgrims, including 100
from the United States. came hun
dreds of kilograms. Cardinals called
upon the pontiff, bearing fluctuations.
Hundreds of workmen swarmed
about the great dome of st. Peters
during the day, preparing the oil
lamps which will illuminate the
cathedral tomorrow.
The Pope will celebrate his 18th
birthday anniversary with solemn
mass in St. Peters. Afterward, he
will give his blessing to great throng
in st. Peters Square.
Important Address Likely.
He will deliver this traditional
blessing: "Ad urbe ct orbe" ('To the
city and to the world') from the out
side balcony of the Basilica, to the
throaty cheers of Viva II Papa!" He
may make an address of Importance
later.
Happily, the Popes birthday an
niversary falls upon the solemn oc-
casion of the Pentecost.
He will be borne into the cathedral
in brilliant procession, sitting upon
his portable throne, on the shoulders
of a dozen scarlet-clad attendants.
Sunday will inaugurate semi-jubi-
lee year, the 80th of the pontiff,s
life. Scores Of pilgrimages will visit
the Vatican from many lands.
Many in tomorrow's crowd will be
members of the Catholic Action Or
ganization, vast laymen's society
which Plus XII himself founded. He
may announce the creation of a new
congregation, or administrative church
department, to supervise the activi-
ties of these laymen.
Audience for Pilgrims.
An audience will be granted the
Catholic Action pilgrims during the
afternoon in the San Damasco court
yard.
Although the Italo-Ethiopian war
has aged and Saddened Plus XI in his
seventy ninth year, he has lost none
of the verbal fire he called forth to
pray and work for peace; to fay Com
munism as "the common enemy of
every one and anything"
Every effort has been made, through
the trying days of 1885 and 1886, to
conserve his strength. 1t is known
he has suffered endocarditis, an in
hamation of the lining membrane of
the heart.
Nevertheless he has stood as a val
liant warrior in the cause of peace; a
tireless foeman against the move
mentS, national and international,
which he sees as striking deep at the
doctrine of Christ.
The Italo-Ethiopian war placed him
in a trying position. AS the Pope
Of the conciliation," he had signed the
Lateran accord with Premier Musso-
lini, resolving the Roman question"
and freeing "the prisoner of the Vati-
can" Yet he had been a steadfast
advocate OF peaceful colonization, and
he had built the Ethiopian College at
the Vatican-the only foreign college
inside its walls.
Strove for "Just" Peace.
He also faced the fact that propa-
cation of the Roman Catholic faith
had not been rapid in Ethiopia; that
it likely would be, under italian rule.
Pope Plus, however. strove unceas-
ingly for a "just" peace. In some
circles he was credited with a share
in the Franco-Italian peace plan
which would have given II Duce much
less than he now has taken for him.
self of Halle Selassie's kingdom.
When peace came in Africa, he re-
joiced in the triumphant news Of a
great and good people"
His words drew some Anglican crit
icism.