PIUS X.’s ANNIVERSARY

New Zealand Tablet, 16 November 1916, Page 53

PIUS X.’s ANNIVERSARY

A second year has rolled by since the Pope whom a simple slab on his tomb describes as ‘ rich and poor, meek and humble of heart,’ left his sorrowing children; and his memory has not suffered. On Sunday (writes the Rome correspondent of the Irish Catholic of September 2), the anniversary of the death of Pius X., several Masses were offered on the altar beside the tomb in one of the crypts of St. Peter’s. His sister and niece were present, as well as a goodly number of the Roman nobility. The good Roman faithful flocked to the tomb, but as the entrance to the crypt was closed at an early hour most of them had to content themselves with a visit to the little bronze cross on the floor of the Basilica which marks the spot under which the Pope is buried. It is touching to note the reverence with which the spot is kissed. Flowers were also thrown on it last Sunday by those who could not find admission to the crypt to deposit them on the tomb. It is not an unusual thing at any time to see people devoutly praying on this spot, I once heard a French lady remark: I We do not come here to pray for Pius X.; we come here to say “Glory be to the Father.” For is not this the Pope whose last words were, “I was born poor. I have lived poor, I wish to die poor” ?’ The Solemn Requiem in memory of Pope Pius has been postponed to November 5.»