KING’S VISIT TO POPE.

Grey River Argus, 11 May 1923, Page 5

KING’S VISIT TO POPE.

Display of Papal Splendour. (A. and N.Z. Cable Assn,) (Received May 10 at 8.53 p.m.) ROME, May 9. King George and Queen Mary had a private conversation with the Pope at the Vatican lasting twenty-five minutes. The King wore a full dress military uniform, and the Queen the regulation black dress and veil which is obligatory for ladies visiting the Pope. Great crowds thronged the route to see Their Majesties in the Papal cars. The whole splendour of the Papal Court was called upon for the ceremonial. At the reception in St. Peter’s Square two regiments of cavalry rendered military honours. At the entrance to the Palace the Swiss Guard presented arms. In St. Dai 'ascus Court there was a company of Ik.la-: Guards with music and the Papal flag,, together with a platoon of gendarmes, who. rendered military honours, while the band played the British Anthem, At the foot of the stairway leading to the Papal apartments they were welcomed by Prince Ruspoli, while at the head of the stairway, a large crowd of prelates, who are members of the Pontifical Court, surrounded them, forming a brilliant and picturesque 1 gathering. Preceded by six palfreys, a flanked detachment of the Swiss Guards proceeded to Clementine Hall, on the threshold of which another group of prelates, officers of the Vatican Armed Corps, joined the escort and proceeded through Tapestries Hall, which was lined by noble guards in red uniforms. As the cortege entered the ante-room of the Papal apartment, the Pope advancing unescorted, welcomed the royal guests, and escorted them to his private parlour. Subsequently Their Majesties received at the Villa Patrizi, a number of the English ecclesiastics, representatives of various English philanthropic institutions in Rome. Cardinal Gaspari arrived at the Legation at noon xor the purpose of returning the Pupal visit, and remained to a luncheon with the royalties, which other representatives of the Vatican also attended, the company numbering twenty. ROME, May 9. At 3 o’clock Cardinals Bisleti, Vannutelli, and Merry De Vai conveyed to the British sovereigns the greetings of the Sacred College. This was quite unprecedented and was not done for the Kaiser when he visited the Vatican. ROME, May 9. King George and Queen Mary attended a reception to seven hundred members of the British colony at the Embassy, and later a gala performance, “The Barber of Seville,” in the Constanzi Theatre