Evening star., 1954-05-30
Plus X is Canonized
By Pope Before Huge
Throng at St. Peters
By the Assoeie..d Press


VATICAN CITY, May o.
Pope Plus, x, the humble Giu-
seppe Sarto, was canonized a
saint today in a glittering cere-
lnony before a half-million peo-
pie.
The vast throng stretched
from the central gate Of st.
Peters Basilica, where Pope
Plus XII presided. through the
big square and the entire length
of the broad quarter-mile ave-
nue. that leads to Castle SAINT
Angelo on the bank of the Tiber.
Thousands stood in hushed
and prayerful silence as the 78-
year-old spiritual head Of more
than 400 million Catholics re-
cited the ancient Latin formula
that placed the name Of Plus
x on the Church's list of saints.
Plus x is the first Pope to be
canonized in 242 years. For the
first time television cameras re-
corded the historic event.
Pope Wipes Brow.
For Plus XII, it was the most
trying experience since his recent
illness that confined him for
weeks to his Vatican apartment.
With brief pauses to wipe the
perspiration from his brow on
this hottest day of the year, he
went through the hour-long cere-
mony without faltering.
In his eulogy of his illustrious
predecessor, he described Plus
K as "the saint raised up by
Providence for our time" and
called upon him to sustain this
poor human race" in its search
for peace.
Just a few moments before
that. after an hour long process
sion from the Vatican Palace to
the ramp in front of st. Peters
Basilica. the Pontiff knelt to
pray. Then he rose and recited:
ITO the honor of Most Holy
Trinity, for the exaltation of the
Catholic Church and for the in
crease Of the Christian religion,
through the authority of our
Lord Jesus Christ, of the blessed
apostles Peter and Paul and
through our authority. we decree
and define (as) saint and in
scribe in the Catalogue of the
Saints Blessed Plus X"
ThrOng Breaks In to Cheer.
At that instant q covering
cloth was removed from a large
painting of the new saint placed
directly above the papal throne.
A great cheer arose from the
throng that included some so
cardinals and about 500 arch
bishops and bishops of the
Church, gathered here from
many countries.
The princes of the Church in
cluded Francis Cardinal SPELL
man, Archbishop of New York,
and Samuel Cardinal Stritch,
Archbishop Of Chicago.
Plus x. the 258th Pontiff of
the Catholic Church, is the 18th
to be canoniZed.
That highest honor of the Ro-
man Catholic Church has gone
to only five other Pontiffs in the
last 1000 years. The last to be
so honored was Plus v, in l712.
Forty-eight Of the Church's
so Popes. beginning with st.
Peter, first Pope and Prince of
Apostles, have been sainted,
most of them through martyr
dom.
Few modern Popes have at
tanned this highest honor, as
quickly as has Plus x. He died
only 40 years ago, after the out
break of World War I, which he
had sought to prevent.
Bells Ring Throughout Rome.
Tonight. the bells of Ro'ue's
churches rang in honor of the
new saint. ST. Peters BaSilica
as well as the big colonnade
were f1oodlighted
A solemn pontifical mass will
be celebrated tomorrow in st.
Peters Basilica in honor of the
new saint.
Tomorrow evening. a two-hour
procession will carry his body,
enclosed in a crystal urn, from
st. Peters to st. Mary Major
Basilica where it will be the
center of a three-day iridium,
of thanksgiving and veneration.