ILLNESS OF POPE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22461, 3 July 1936, Page 11

ILLNESS OF POPE

RETIREMENT TO VILLA

FEELS DEATH'S APPROACH

AUDIENCES RESTRICTED

By Telegraph—rress Association—Copyright

LONDON, July 1

The Daily Chronicle's Rome correspondent says the Pope is reported to have said: "I feel death approaching." He told visiting prelates: "I will die in my beloved C'astel Gandolfo." His Holiness arrived at the Papal villa of Castel Gandolfo (13 miles from Home) last night. Audiences have been cut down to a minimum. He is to take complete rest. The Pope's asthma is most troublesome and lie is also suffering from arteriosclerosis and lias to be carried in a cliair from room to room. His doctors state that his heart is in good condition.

Achille 3?atti, Pope Pins XT., when Cardinal Archbishop of Milan, was elected Pope on February 6, 1922, in succession to Pope Benedict XV. He was the junior Cardinal Priest. He was born at Desio, near Milan, on March 31, 1857, the son of an engineer, one of six children. He was educated at Monza and Milan and later at the Gregorian University at Borne. He was a great student, especially in languages, of. which he is proficient in many, ancient and modern. In 1879 he was dedicated to the priesthood. He was for some time Prefect of t the Vatican Library and of the Ambrosian Library.

In 1918 Consignor Batti carried out a difficult diplomatic and ecclesiastical mission. in Poland after the Armistice, and he did his delicate work with much ability and to the satisfaction of Pope Benedict XV., who raised him to the Cardinalate, and appointed him Archbishop of Milan. f The chief recreation of the Pope s earlier life was Alpine mountaineering. He has accomplished many difficult and dangerous climbs, especially on' Monte Rosa and the Matterhorn. In 1923 he published "Climbs on Alpine Peaks."