DEATH OF THE POPE.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume LIII, Issue 2793, 24 July 1903, Page 2

DEATH OF THE POPE.

Dγ VI stein," .tated the Pope micht 'ivß-twe-tyfrnp hour., but the end wae p iHsiblo At any moment.

Th» Cardinal:, wer P . h ae) ;i F Pnmn . onfl(l io the Veticon nt. noon, 6n d Pardiral Var-nn-telli ar'nimisfered Ex'reme Tnction' to the Pope.

Shortly before the end the d'p'omatio representative were adnrlted, and the Pope with grea' difficulty, prnrrnncerf tnn lienediction, a] , kht'wg his hand. A brief sgnnj prPCfidpfJ death, which interfered a few after four on Mnr.dny mornfn~, Therf> waa a markpd ahongp fnr thp worse on Pu» o%v. THp v< p«'s bnath'ng became most difficult. The Ca'dir.alu were »nmmoned, and Cardinal Vftr-nnten? recited the pravf re for the dying, and Monm'onor Piffer, ♦he Pope's Sacr»tan, e«yp tVe Arwolntton. was a litt'e sign of conscinaene»i till hie tWp. n«fjhewß knelt at the bedeioV, then, hy a supreme effort tho Pope rased his hand in the act of blessing, repeating the endure in the direction of the Cardinals and hi« Ir uphold. At half past one unconsoiouerep? supervened, and brfathing became more difficult, ceasing at four mirntee past four, after a alight convul ive movement. Throuef)ou f . ffre severtren days' ftruggl*" the Porp pxhi' ited msrvellarp cnornge and no impatience, and preeervpd hie intelieot throughout.

The closing of the bronze gates informed the public of the Pope'« de*th Th« Cimerlergo ver'fiel the Pope's death, with the customary ceremonies, emitting the 'artpin? r{ the forehead thrice with the eilver hi»mmer, frrirkling it instead with holy water from a silver bowl, whil* calling aloud thrice, " OioacHvno " the drad Pope'e Heme fl> thpn pronounced the Pope The Fifhermin'p Ri r g wae then removed from the Pope's hand, end the body, attired in Pontifical vestment, removed to the Tapestry Chamber preliminary to public pxnosition at Sh Peter'p.

The Pope'e death has created a great ien , precsioa at Fome. Thr populace are quiet and rpverent. Many fhops are cloaed, and fheeare flying half Wast. Bands stopped playing, end vaef. crown corgrepated round the V-.tican and Pt PetrrV.

Profound sorrow is fxpreesod in Europe at tVe Pope's denih, an<l meeeßg°e of aytn* pathy have been received from all parts of the world. The Press unanimously laud hia saintly character.

The " Timfa" says that the late Pope wu a grf at bishop, thinker and Btudent.

The Right Rev. Dr Grime?, Bi»hon of Ori«tehurch, who is at present ad Hokitika «-> a- official visit, has made the following abatement public on the death of Pope Leo XTTT :-"Tho hund r.( death has at lergfch laid low iho grpnf-. Pontiff, Leo XTII. For a quarter of a century, the Vicar of Christ, the Divir-Aiy ar.poinfpd succeisor of Rt. he has governed the Chnrch of the living God How well he ha* governed and guided this Church in well kriown to all. His marvellous intellect, hie loftiness of views, his large hearteriness, hie ever prao* ticnl and lively interest in the; welfare of the working claters, as of all; humanity, have won for him universal !ov<\ psise, and admiration. We had fondly hoped that, he would be left longer to tu'e over] üb. The Almighty has nVcreed otherwise and we must submit to the Admirable Will. While mourning the lobs cf our spi'itualrhead, Our father and supreme Ponhff, we trust nob be nnmindfu! of our duty to the departed. Vβ' «pit* the aainHinesa of his life hje may still have to atone for some faultß or failings be* fore entering tl>e Kingdom of kingdoms. Besdes the prayers and eupplicati ins whioh all his devoted children will ferv itttly offef on his behalf, in every churah rr chxpel there should be ce7ebrated as soon an possible a «olfirn Requiem, followed by tie Abaola. Hod. Herjcetorth, until we hear of a moce por to the deceased Pontiff, the prayer « Pupplici Domine' from the • Miesa Pro Bli , gendo Suinmo Pontifice ' should be said or snne at every MaR« and Benediction when Ihe Rubrics will allow it "

[Pope Leo XIIT , who has reached the great nge ef 93, was bom in March, 1810, being the son of Count Ludovico Peoci. When eiehfc years old. he was senb to the Jeeuit College, of Viterbo. where he re* mained till 1824. Then, his mother dyinp, he was sent to Rome to be under the care of an ancle. He studied in the Jesuit schools of the Collegio Romano, and three years later made a ppeolal study of matbe' ma'ics, and in 1828 eot the first premium in Che-nfetry and the first accensit in Ma'he , mathics. Next, he turned his attention to philosophy, in which he distinguished him' self, obtaining the laurea of philosophy when only twenty-one yeere old. Fin life ab Rome was that of a rigorous student. Often entering the College of Noble Ecclesiastic!, ! Abbate Pecci studied canoo and civil law to diligently that when he became a Doctor of Laws, Pope Grepory XVI made him a do , me stic Prelate and Referendary of the Bee* natura in 1837. The Priesthood was con , ferted on Pecci in December, 1837. His advancement, in the Church tpbb »o repid that, in 1843, he was created Archbishop of Damietta. In 1853, Pius IX. proohimed him a Cardinal, and in September, 1877, he was selected to fill the important rffice of Cardinal Camnrlengo, and, after the death of Pope Pius IX., in 1878, wa« unanimously flrcted Pope Leo XIII The Pope's Pontificate has been marked by a wire rule, which hR9 earned the reepeoh of all European sovereigns. In 1887, when he celebrated the Jubilee of his priesthood our late Queen sent thn Duke of Norfolk as her special en* vny with valuable gifts and a special ad' dreea of cnrgratnlatioTi. In 1893 the Pope celebrated his episcopal jubHee. when im' me se crowds of pilgrims flocked to Rome. The Pope took a keen iuterett in all Euro , lean politics ;ip lo the very last. The famous ntUmpt to reconcile the English Church with the Church of Rome brought him in contact with the leading statesmen of the day, and his famons and pathetic ad* Hm-hs "Ad Anglo*," in 1895,wi1l be i-till well remembered. Up to 1899, the Pope enjoyed very fuir health, but a compulsory operation in that yfar weakened him. and though his hratn has n*!ver lost its act ivity, his health has been very indifferent for the last four yeirs Pope Leo XIII. has been one of tto moat remarkable pretence? of the 19th and 20ill centuries, and it is hard to realise that ho has really ended his long and brilliant life.