POPE PIUS XI DEAD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23731, 11 February 1939, Page 13

POPE PIUS XI DEAD

VICTIM OF HEART ATTACKS LAST AUDIBLE WORDS, " PEACE, PEACE " BODY LYING IN STATE MEETING OF CARDINALS CONVOKED (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) VATICAN CITY, Feb. 10. (Received Feb. 11, at 0.45 a.m.) ,: The Pope died at 4.31 a.m., G.M.T. He had a relapse when 200 cardinals and bishops were assembling for weekend ceremonies in celebration of the seventeenth anniversary of the Pope's coronation and the tenth anniversary of the concordat with Italy. , The Pope's entourage said his will to live until he had addressed the bishops to-morrow was so great that he might hold out, but a later report stated that the sacrament of extreme unction, which is reserved to those who are at the point of death, was administered. The Pope's last audible words were, "Peace, peace." He tried to speak at 4 a.m., but those at the bedside realised that the end was near. Thereafter high church dignitaries were summoned to the private apartments, and Monsignor Camillo Deromas, sacrist at Vatican City, administered the last sacrament eleven minutes before death. The Pope's own confessor, Cardinal Lauri, arrived a few seconds too late. After the last words the Pope's lips were moving slowly, and Dr Rocchi said it was occasionally possible to discern his Holiness trying to articulate a Latin prayer. Half a minute before his death the Pope feebly raised his right hand and attempted to make the sign of the cross, imparting the last apostolic blessing of his reign. Those at the bedside fell down on their knees, and several wept in silence. The death was proclaimed throughout Vatican City, and the gates were closed. The body will lie in state in Vatican Ha 11....... . , Cardinal Pacelli has temporarily assumed the position of Head of the Catholic Church, and has convoked cardinals from throughout the world to meet on February 28 to elect a new Pope.

SEAT DECLARED VACANT CARDINALS FILE PAST BEDSIDE W nisi FUNJERAL RITES BODY DRESSED IN WHITE ..(Independent Cable Service) ■'-. VATICAN CITY, Feb. 10. (Received Feb. 11, at 2 aim.) After the Cardinals had filed past the bedside and kissed the hand of the Pope, the Prefect of Ceremonies, Monsignor. Respighi, dressed the Pope in the Pontifical robes. The embalming of the body will probably take two days before the public will be able to pay their last respects at St. Peter's. An official communication states that following the death of the Pontiff the' seat was. declared vacant. During this period the government of the Church will be entrusted to the ! Secretary of State. Cardinal Paceili. ... .The firs' 1 ; funeral rites were begun at the Pontifical Palace as dawn broke. The Pope's body was dressed in full ceremonial white robes, the head being covered with a white skullcap on which the high Pontifical mitre was placed. The body was "then laid on a stretcher and wrapped in black and gold cloth. It was slowly carried downstairs to the Throne Room and thence to the Vatican Basilica of St. Peter's, and a guard took ap watch with drawn swords. The funeral hangings will be supplanted by triumphal decorations for celebrating the tenth anniversary of the Concordat to-morrow. Immense crowds gathered in front of the Basilica, including students from the international Pontifical universities. ■ .- King Victor's Master of Ceremonies notified him of the death early in the morning. The Sacred College of Cardinals will meet every day at 10 a.m. for the next 20 days, " the open seat" period thus permitting .time for the cardinals to come from throughout the world to select the new Pope. The burial will take place in 10 days. PRIMATE'S SYMPATHY JTAND FCR CHRISTIAN RELIGION I '■'■'' I (Per United Press Association) AUCKLAND, Feb. 10. i " I would like to express my sympathy with the bishop and his flock in Auckland particularly, but also with the Roman Catholic Church generally," said Archbishop Averill, Primate of New Zealand, when informed of the death of the Pope. ," We all very much appreciate the stand which he has made for peace and for conditions that make for peace I think, too, that all Christians are grateful to him for the stand he has taken on behalf of the Christian religion in the face of what is being taught and said in totalitarian States and in the face of the gnti-Christion philosophies of life which are current at the present day! especially in those totalitarian States." . .

! ANGLICAN BISHOP'S TRIBUTE SIMPLE. UNAFFECTED PIETY (Special to Daily Times) WELLINGTON, Feb. 10. "A world figure has passed on," said the Bishop of Wellington, the Rt. Rev. H. St. Barbe Holland, commenting to-night on the death of Pope Pius XI. To the Church which has lost its leadership he added; "I would on behalf of the sister communion in this Dominion express our sincere sympathy. During the last year or two that sympathy has been constantly stirred by the heroic courage with which the late Pope faced his growing weakness, sprang from his frequent sick beds to his daily work, and completely forgot self in his devotion to duty. Behind that courage lay a vitality which had revealed itself in many ways. His early love for the alps and his climbing prowess' on some of their stiffest peaks stamped him as a man who loved adventure and the tackling of great tasks. He did not belie that promise. His record at the Vatican is that of a leader who in stormy and difficult days saw his objectives and with true statesmanship steadily forged his way toward them. It was because of this that under his leadership the Vatican ceased to be a prison and became the home of a ruling sovereign. His scholarship, too, was outstanding as his reformation of the Vatican library proved. His passion for the Kingdom of God was seen in some of the able and uncompromising statements he made on the social and economic problems of the new age and in his encouragement i of the missionary activities of his Church, and yet with all his outstanding gifts he was characterised, as those who knew him personally attest, by a simple and unaffected piety which won their hearts. To our sympathy in the death of such a leader we would add our prayers that God may guide the leaders of his Church in the choice of his successor." METHODIST SYMPATHY "GREAT WORKER FOR PEACE" 'Per United- Press Association) WELLINGTON, Feb. 10. "We recognise that Pope Pius XI was a great man, a great leader in his own church, and a great worker for peace," said the president of the Methodist Church in New Zealand, the Rev. Percy Paris. " The unsettled state of the world to-day one may believe militated against his recovery. Methodists will join with their fellow Christians in the Roman Catholic Church in mourning his passing." OUTSTANDING VIRTUES JUSTICE AND CHARITY ♦ (Special to Daily Times) WELLINGTON, Feb. 10. "His reign covered a period of change unequalled in the world's history," said the Rt. Rev. Monsignor T. F. Connelly, administrator of the Archdiocese of Wellington during the absence of Archbishop O'Shea, commenting to-night on the \

death of the Pope. "Posterity cannot forget his tireless efforts for peace and his unrelenting endeavour to save our civilisation through the virtues of Christian justice and charity. While Catholics mourn the death of a father, all Christians will thank God for the benefits of his reign." Questioned about the services of requiem, Monsignor Connolly said that he was awaiting official direction, which would probably come through the Apostolic Delegation in Sydney. THE PAPAL OFFICE PROCEDURE OF ELECTION AMERICAN REPRESENTATION The Papal office is an elective one and, by historic custom, the selection is made by the cardinals assembled in conclave in the Sistine Chapel, Rome, on the tenth day following the death of the Pope. On this occasion, however, owing to changes introduced by Pope Pius XI, it is probable that the election mav be delayed in order to admit of the presence of an American cardinal. Owing to the distance to be travelled in the short time, America has never previously been represented on such an occasion, and to permit of the presence of a delegate to register his vote an alteration was made by the late Pope by which the time was extended up to 18 days. At the momentous gathering in the Sistine Chapel, while thousands wait in the Square of St. Peter's, the cardinals sit each under his own canopy, or baldacchino, and the ballot is taken. It is necessary that there should be a majority of twothirds, so that it is possible that there may be several ballots before the election is conclusive. It is notable that at the election of Pope Pius X there were no fewer than seven ballots before the result was final. That occasion was also notable for the fact that, after the third ballot, the Austrian cardinal exercised the theoretical power of veto that, historically, lay with his country and with Spain. The interference was profoundly resented and, actually, the result was not affected since the objection was not sustained by the voting in the subsequent ballots. When an inconclusive ballot is cast, the waiting thousands are made aware by the column of dark smoke arising from a chimney of the chapel. When a majority is attained, instead of dairiD straw, dry straw is burned, and the resultant column of light grey smoke conveys the tidings to the outside world. The scarlet baldacchinos of the cardinals are then lowered, all except that of the newly-elected Pope, who retires and is invested in the sacristy with the white Papal soutane. Subsequent to this, the verbal announcement is made to the crowd by tho Dean of Cardinals, and the new Pone then appears to give his blessins to his peoole At the election of Pope Pius XI, another cardinal was favoured by the votes, but the honour was steadfast.lv refused on the grounds of illhealth. PONTIFICAL REQUIEM MASS In response to an inquiry made to Bishop Whyte as to what special ser- ' vices would be held in connection with the death of the Pope, the Bishop stated that Pontifical Requiem Mass would be celebrated. A formal announcement of the death of the Pone was anticipated from ; the Apostolic Delegate in Australia, and, subsequent to this, the arrange- ' ments in connection with the hold- ; ing of the mass would be made. | i

EFFORTS FOR PEACE OUTSTANDING FEATURE IN LIFE ENDING OF ROMAN QUESTION THE LATERAN TREATY On the morning of February 6, 1922, after the eleventh ballot of the cardinals in conclave, a crowd numbering many thousands, who had been patiently waiting in the rain, saw a little puff of greyish-white smoke ascend from the specially constructed chimney that leads up from the hall of the elections where the ballot papers are burned after the cardinals have voted. This smoke was the signal that the new pope had been elected, and immediately the great piazza of St. Peter's was alive with movement. In due course Cardinal Bisleit, the first Cardinal-deacon, announced that Cardinal Achille Ratti, Archbishop of Milan, had been elected to the Supreme Pontificate, and that he would be known as Pius the Eleventh. His Holiness was born at Desio, in the archdiocese of Milan, on May 30, 1857. After studying in the Lombard College in Rome he obtained the triple doctorate in philosophy, theology, and canon law in the Gregorian University? After spending some years in his native diocese as professor of theology he was appointed to the Ambrosian Library, and in 1907 he succeeded Monsignor Ceriani as librarian. In 1911 he was called to Rome to succeed Father Ehrle as administrator of the Vatican library —a post that was disarranged by the outbreak of the war. In 1918 Pope Benedict XV sent Monsignor Ratti, as he then was, to Poland as apostolic visitor. His diplomatic mission was successful, and when the independence of Poland was recognised in 1919 he was appointed apostolic nuncio and was nominated titular archbishop of Lepanto. He was consecrated to the episcopate in Warsaw by Cardinal Kakowski, archbishop of that see. The nunciature of Monsignor Ratti in Poland is described as a glorious epic. When Warsaw was threatened with the Bolshevist invasion and the Ministry and foreign ambassadors had removed to another place, Monsignor Ratti alone remained at his post. Strict orders had been given to him by the Pope that at all costs he must remain at his post, and as the Bolshevist peril grew closer the Polish people of the capital were cheered by the presence in their midst of the representative of the Pontiff. The red tide of terror never burst upon the gates of Warsaw, and when, on the death of Cardinal Ferrari, the historic see of Milan became vacant, the heroic nuncio at Warsaw was appointed to the chair at St. Ambrose. Shortly after the election of Pius XI the following sketch of his career, written by Archbishop Ceretti, was published in the London Tablet:—"After his preliminary studies in the diocesan seminaries he completed his course in Rome at the Lombard College, obtaining at the Gregorian University the triple doctorate in philosophy, theology, and canon law. He was ordained priest in Rome in 1879. and celebrated his first Mass over the tomb of St. Peter in the Vatican basilica. On nis return home he was, from 1882 till 1888, professor of dogmatic theology and sacred eloquence in the diocesan seminary. In the latter year, chiefly through the influence of the celebrated scholar Monsignor Ceriani, at that time prefect of the library, he was appointed to the staff of the College of Doctors of the I world-famed Ambrosian Library, the foundations, as is well known, of the great Cardinal Frederico Borromeo. Under the sure guidance of the great scholar Ceriani, Dr Ratti soon became master of all the scientific treasures of that famous library, so that on the death of Ceriani in 1907 he was naturally and unanimously elected to the vacant post. The literary activity which he displayed during the years of his administration is evidenced by the long list of his scientific writings in various learned publications, filling some two columns of an ordinary newspaper. One of these is a deep and pathetic historical sketch of the fate of the famous library and archivium of St. Columbius at Bobbio. In the midst of all his literary and scientific labours Dr Ratti was devoted to his work as a priest and director of souls. During the years of his early priesthood the nuns of the Order of the Cenacle opened a house »n Milan first in the Corso Venezia and later in the Via Monte di Pieta. The then reigning archbishop, Monsignor Calabiana, appointed the young nriest chaplain to the new convent, and to that work he devoted himself with admirable zeal to the very end of his sojourn in the city. For over 30 years he gave to it all the enthusiasm of his sacerdotal heart. No good work was undertaken in that ever-active home of good works in which Don Achilles Ratti was not the chief co-operator. In 1883 he organised an association of | Catholic school mistresses, of which i

he retained the direction during the whole period of his stay in the city. The congregation of Children of Mary for the young ladies of Milanese high society, for those of middle class, women clerks, work girls, and all the social classes had the benefit of his direction and of his elevated and edifying, though simple, instructions. The humblest of the little guests of the Cenacle were the little chimney sweeps. These little fellows were gathered together by the good Cenable nuns for religious instruction, and the learned prefect of the Ambrosian Library, in the midst of his absorbing work, found time both to pass afternoons of feast days in teaching catechism to little boys in the Church of St. Sepolcro, and also to prepare the little chimney sweeps for their first communion, on the occasion of which he would share their little feasts and their innocent games. This life of combined learned labours and apostolic works was suddenly interrupted in 1911, when Monsignor Ratti was called to Rome as pro-prefect of the Vatican Library and assistant to Father Ehrle, whom he succeeded as prefect in 1913, when he was also made Protonotary Apostolic. The Great War, which changed so many things in the world, put an end to Monsignor Ratti's career as a librarian. On April 25, 1918, Pope Benedict XV sent him out as apostolic visitor to Poland in order to regulate the complicated affairs of the church in that unfortunate country. When Poland finally obtained her restored independence the Holy Father, to show his sympathy with the Catholic State, appointed Monsignor Ratti apostolic nuncio to the new republic of Poland, creating him, in the consistory of July 3, 1919, titular Archbishop of Lepanto. The sudden transference of one hitherto known almost exclusively as a scholar and a writer from the tranquil life of a great library, passed amid ancient codices and bibliographical research, to the active life of diplomacy in the very midst of the most disturbed portions of Europe, caused universal surprise. Poland, after the peace of Brest-Litowski, was still occupied by German troops, although there was a Council of Regency, consisting of Archbishop (afterwards Cardinal) Kakowski and two others. The situation was in every way extremely difficult and critical, but the new nuncio displayed such remarkable tact and diplomatic skill, and even heroism, that he played quite a leading part in the final settlement of both the political and ecclesiastical difficulties which surrounded the birth of the new republic. It was chiefly owing to his efforts that the two articles were introduced into the Constitution of the State, the one declaring that the Catholic religion occupies the first position in the Polish State, and the second, still more practically important, that no measures con-. cerning the Catholic Church may be taken without preliminary agreement

with the Holy See. Even outside Poland the intrepid nuncio was able to exercise important infldence in various directions. Through his diplomatic good offices he obtained the lioeration of many prisoners • and hostages from the hands of the Russian Bolshevists, including the Archbishop of Mohilew and the Bishop of Minsk. He was appointed in extraordinary mission as ecclesiastical commissioner for the plebiscite in Upper Silesia, and this at .the unanimous request of Poland, Germany, and the Inter-Allied Commission. Two interesting precedents in connection with Monsignor Ratti's appointment have been noted in the Italian papers. This is the second occasion on which a nuncio apostolic in Poland has been recalled from Warsaw to be Archbishop of Milan and Cardinal, the same having happened to Monsignor Benedetto Odescalchi in 1713. It is stated, moreover, that the cardinalatial title assigned to Monsignor Ratti. that of San Martino del Monte, was held for four years by the new cardinal's illustrious predecessor. St. Charles Borromeo." Writing just after the election of the Pope, the Rome correspondent of the London Daily Telegraph, stated: " Cardinal Ratti, whose name was prominently before the public as one of the principal candidates with Cardinal Maffii, of Pisa, and Cardinal Lafontaine, of Venice, is an exceedingly popular figure in the Vatican and in ecclesiastical circles generally. Everybody seems to know him and to have thought of him most highly as the most likely successor of Benedict XV. There was some hesitation only because it was assumed that he was really too learned, too much of a scholarly man to be immediately acceptable to two-thirds of the cardinals, and the voting evidently hung long in the balance. His mission to Poland also brought him into contact with conflicting interests, which it was supposed, might have told against him, and finally, when he was appointed to the Archbishopric of Milan, his inaugural sermon contained some remarks on church policy that seemed of too liberal a tendency towards modern States, and especially towards the Italian Government." One of his old friends, Signor Arnaboldi, states that when the Pope was a boy he was very lively and fond of all sports, especially mountaineering. Of his climbs three were particularly important—the Matterhorn, Mont Blanc, and Monte Rosa. He was the first to reach the summit of Mont Blanc from the Italian side, and the road which he was the first to traverse is still known by his name and that of Monsignor Grasselli, his companion. In 1890 he reached the Dufour-Spitze, Monte Rosa, being the first to cross the Zumstein peak. This ascent he described in the bulletin of the Italian Alpine Club, of which he was a member.

His Holiness had a number of interesting associations with English life, extending over a long period of years. His first acquaintance with England was made when, as simple Dr Ratti, he visited that distinguished scholar and linguist, Dr Casartelli (Bishop of Salford) in Manchester. He stayed in Manchester for some days, and during his visit he made a tour of the principal Catholic churches in the city. While a monsignor and before his consecration to the episcopate he paid another visit to England. On this occasion he was among the guests of honour invited by the University of Oxford to take part in the centenary celebrations in honour of the famous Roger Bacon. One of the events on this visit was the unveiling of a monument to the great Franciscan doctor. The Pope was also well known at a London library in St. James's square, where he was a frequent visitor. On one occasion the librarian of this institution, in speaking of the Pope's visits to the library, referred with admiration to the astonishing knowledge shown by him in all matters relating to books. In connection with the Pope's prodigious learning it is related that after his election to the Papacy he went to each one of the cardinals at the conclave, and addressed a few words in the language of each of the prelates. It is said of him that he could speak in 27 languages.

Pope Pius was the first of the long line of Roman Pontiffs to study in the University of Oxford, and in the worldfamous Bodleian library, and to commemorate this unique event the curators and officials of the Bodleian decided to present an address to him congratulating him on his accession to the chair of Peter. The address was composed in Latin by one of the first' Latin scholars in the university. This was the first time in the centuries-old history of the Bodleian that a distinction of this kind was conferred on one of the frequenters of the library. Although Pius XI was the first of his name and dignity to make use of Oxford for the purposes of study he was preceded some centuries ago in Oxford by the famous Cardinal /Eneas Sylvius Piccolomini, who later became Pope Pius 11.

Probably the most outstanding feature in the life of Pope Pius XI was the settlement of the Roman question by the Lateran Treaty, which brought to a happy end in 1929, a dispute which had been in existence for more than 58 years. This treaty created a Papal State, under which the Pope enjoys sovereign rights. Sighor Mussolini negotiated the treaty with Cardinal Gasparri, who was then the Papal Secretary of State, and not long after the formal exchange of ratifications the Pope left the Vatican for the first time since his election and entered St. Peter's square. In addition to the Church establishing complete sovereignty and the independence of the Pope, there were signed at the same time a concordat regulating the conditions of religion in Italy and a convention systematising definitely the financial relations between the Holy See and Italy as arising out of. the events in 1870, when the Papal States were incorporated with Italy. Under the latter, Italy agreed to pay to the Vatican £8,152,174 in cash and £10,869,565 in Italian bonds at 5 per cent, in assessment for the losses in 1870. An extension of the Vatican territory was refused by the Pope, but a small ratification of the frontier was accepted. The right to mint its own money and to issue postage stamps and bank notes was granted to the new State. The concordat in regard to religion involved the acceptance by Italy of canon law t which established that all questions concerning matrimony were within the exclusive competence of the ecclesiastical authorities. Divorce was not acceded to, but the legal separation of married couples was allowed, though decrees of separation could be granted only by the State courts. After the treaty came into force cordial telegrams were exchanged between the Pope and King Victor Emmanuel expressing the wish that the step taken might begin a, happy era in the relations between the Church and the State.