SACRILEGE AT MASS.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLII, Issue 139, 13 June 1908, Page 3

SACRILEGE AT MASS.

— • * — JtOME, April 20. . An act of sacrilege unparalleled in the history of the Papacy occurred yesterday in the Vatican under the eyes of the Pope. Three Jews who had been admitted to the Pope's private Easter Mass knelt' at the; altar and received theJ Sacrament from the l hands of the venerable Pontiff, only to remove it from their mouths immediately afterwards. One of thenij a woman, even spat it on the floor. The chapel contained about 200 worshippers presumably all devout Roman Catholics, inasmuch as admission is obtained only through cardinals, ambassadors, and high Papal court personages. A shiver of horror passed through the worshipping crowd, followed by a commotion on the gospel side of the altar as tlie three offenders were hurriedly escorted out of the chapel. The Pope, who was greatly affected, then administered the communion to the other worshippers. It was found that the Jews had been admitted on the recommendation of Count Szecsen, Austro-Hungarian Ambassador to the Vatican. Captain Vaughah;, nephew of the late Cardinal Vaughan, was among the first to notice the^saerilege and to rush towards the offenders. The latter are said to be a professor at the University of Vienna,*his wife, and another woman. All of them declare that they went to the Mass not knowing that there was to be communion. They expected to kiss the Pope's hand, and when they received the sacrament, not knowing what to do, they removed it from their mouths, but they did not njean any insult or disrespect.