Jasper County Democrat, Volume 14, Number 68, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 December 1911 — RICH CEREMONY IN THE VATICAN [ARTICLE]

RICH CEREMONY IN THE VATICAN

Newly Elevated Cardinals Re* ceive Their Red Kats. BRILLIANT CHURCH SPECTACLE Three Americans Among High Churchmen Elevated to Sacred Col- ■ lege in Most Imposing Services. Rome, Dec. 1. —A vast crowd filled St Peter’s Square by 9 a. m. waiting for the opening of the bronze doors of the beatification hall. There were nuns and monks and students of foreign colleges and hosts of others. Americans and English students in their black cassocks, Germans in red, Scots in purple, a typical Roman crowd, a familiar sright at papal functions. The new and old cardinals assembled in the Sistine chapel, where, in the presence of the pope, the sacred college took the oath of allegiance prescribed by the apostolic constitution, to which is now added the oath not to veto the election of a cardinal.

During the conclave there was an hour’s private ceremony, after which the pope entered the room and donned his mitre of white satin, richly adorned with gold, and heavily embroidered cope of gold cloth. The pope was then seated in the gestatoriad chair, in which he was borne shoulder high to the hall, where 6,000 persons silently, almost breathlessly, awaited his coming. ? t . The cortege was one of the most imposing the world has ever seen. First came the red brocaded attendants and chamberlains and then a long row of monks and friars in white, black and brown, then procurators of religious orders, Dominicans, Capuchins, Agostinians, redemptors and others, consistorial advocates in black and red gowns edged with ermine, and four mace bearers in black silk. There was a prelate carrying a cushion upon which was the pope’s mitre, a cross bearer and candle bearers and then the sacred- college of cardinals, walking in twos, each followed by a train bearer in purple' and a gentleman in waiting in black velvet with a gilt sword.

There were more nobles and then came the pope. On each side of his chair were bearers of ostrich feather flabelli, while clerical dignitaries surrounded.

After the pope had taken his seat on the throne the cardinals advanced separately for the act of “obedience,” and, kneeling upon the steps of the throne, which were covered with flaming robes, each kissed the papal ring. Then the cardinals sat upon benches while the master of ceremonies pronounced the Latin formula “accedat.”

Two cardinal deans and four mace bearers proceeded to the Sistine chapel and returned with the new cardinals.

The professed cardinals arose and each new cardinal went toward the throne and genuflected three times, after which he kissed the papal foot and hand. Finally accolades were exchanged with the pope, his holiness kissing each cheek of each of the new cardinals. The newly elevated cardinals then exchanged accolades with the professed cardinals and returned' to the throne, where they received their red hats.

When each was hatted and had received his ring the pope embraced all of the cardinals and then blessed the multitude.