Dogma Of The Assumption Of Mary Cheered

Wanganui Chronicle, 2 November 1950, Page 5

Dogma Of The Assumption Of Mary Cheered

VATICAN CITY, Nov. 1 (Rec. 12.10 am). —Nearly a million people from all over the world packed the great square of Saint Peter’s today and roared a welcome to Pope Pius XII. as he was carried shoulder high to an open air throne to proclaim Ihe new dogma of the Bodily Assumption of Virgin Mary into Heaven. Swaying on a portable throne above a white, scarlet and golden procession of cardinals, arenbishops, priests and monks and Vatican guards, the Pope leaned from side to side to bless the dense mass of people stretching out of sight along every approach to the great church. “VIVA 11. I’APA!” A sea of handkerchiefs, banners and flags waved as the crowds shouted “Viva il Papa!” in Italian and the same greeting in a dozen other languages. Papal gendarmes held back the surging crowd as the Pontiff, flanked by a personal bodyguard in scarlet uniforms, and with flashing swords erect, was borne up the steps of the Basilica to take his place on a white and gold throne outside the great central door. DOUBLE BUS SERVICES Before dawn all bus services crossing Rome towards the Basilica of St. Peter were doubled to enable hundreds of thousands of people to assemble for the ceremony. The police cordoned all roads within half a mile radius of the Basilica, while fleets of charabancs and buses disgorged pilgrims into all the lanes leading into the square. As the Rome ceremony began other services were held in nearly all parts of the world. POPE’S CLEAR VOICE The Pope began reading the Papal Bill establishing the dogma at 8.40 in a clear, ringing voice that was carried by loudspeakers to the vast gathering. The Pope declared in Latin that it was divinely revealed that Mary went to Heaven in body and soul. The radio carried the Pope’s words to all parts of the world. As he spoke a hurricane of cheers and cries of “Viva!” arose and surged from the foot of the Papal Throne to Castel St. Angelo—three-quarters of a mile away, on the ancient bank of the Tiber. mighty roar. When the roar of approval subsided, the Pontiff, standing, raised his voice in the first words of the “Te Deum’’ — the Sistine Chapel choir took up the hymn and the concourse of pilgrims and Romans united their voices to the swelling sound. The giant bells of Saint Peters Basilica began to peal and from all parts of Rome the bells of nearly 50G churches —one by one — joined in the thunderous choir. 53 CARDINALS. Thirty-eight of 53 cardinals comprising sacred college, attended the ceremony. Slightly below the cardinals, In special sections reserved 'or them on the broad steps of Saint Peters Basilica, were massed 580 archbishops, patriarchs and bishops, and below them some 5000 representatives of all the Catholic religious orders. Well in front of tne huge crowd of pilgrims and Romans were representatives of some 40 nations with which the Vatican maintains diplomatic relations.