Posted on 10/09/2019 11:38:02 AM PDT by NRx
Today is the anniversary of the death of Pope Pius XII. The film footage is from one of the Italian newsreel firms.
(Excerpt) Read more at youtu.be ...
It's worth noting that there were a couple of unfortunate events amid the sad reposing and attendant ceremonial of the pre-Vatican II church. First someone was allowed into the papal bed chamber during his final illness and scandalously permitted to take photographs. And secondly an experimental procedure was used for embalming the late Pope that proved disastrous. In combination with the heat it actually accelerated the decomposition which is one of the reasons the funeral bier was elevated so those filing by would not see the Pope's rapidly decaying remains. The stench was so severe that the honor guards had to be rotated much more frequently than normal.
Papa Pacelli was smelly
Was a good catholic school boy in 1958 I remember it well.
I was 9 going on 10. The nuns filled us in on the whole process. Didn’t know that what followed would be a radical change for the church with Vatican II
I was born 2 days later, and my mother wanted to name me Pius. Thank goodness my father talked some sense into her.
What prompted you to make that disparaging comment?
And secondly an experimental procedure was used for embalming the late Pope that proved disastrous. In combination with the heat it actually accelerated the decomposition which is one of the reasons the funeral bier was elevated so those filing by would not see the Pope's rapidly decaying remains. The stench was so severe that the honor guards had to be rotated much more frequently than normal.
Ps. He was my favorite Pope of my lifetime
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