Chapter 3 Chapter 1 The Apostolic Palace of the Vatican
Saturday, April 2, 2005 at 9:37 pm
The long-term sick old man has stopped breathing.His private secretary, Mongostein, has been leaning on the dying man's right hand for the past 36 hours, streaming down his face.When the doctor on duty was examining the old man, he had to use all his strength to pull Meng Gestan away. They tried to save the old man from death.They tried their best and tried again and again to keep the old man's life, but they knew that they had done everything they could, and there was nothing they could do.
The Pope's private residence may surprise many.Here, the leaders of many countries in the world have knelt before him, but his life is very simple, and his residence is unbelievably simple: except for a cross, there is almost nothing on the wall.The furniture consisted only of a chair, a table, and a portable hospital bed, which had been moved in in the last months of his illness to replace his old bed.At this bedside, the doctor tried his best to rescue him, and the patient and the doctor dripped sweat on the white and flawless bed sheet.Four Polish nuns change the sheets three times a day.
Dr. Renault is the Pope's personal doctor, and he finally announced that he would give up rescue.He waved his hand and asked the nurse to cover the old man's weather-beaten face with a white sheet.He asked everyone present to leave except Mongolstein.Dr. Reynolds has written death certificates in many places.Now he is going to write to the Pope.The cause of death was simple: the old man had heart failure and circulatory failure, both of which worsened the throat inflammation.In the name of the deceased, in order to avoid confusion, he did not use his current name, but filled in the Pope's birth name.
At this time, Cardinal Summerlo had just entered the room. He was the Pope's attendant steward, and the doctor handed him the signed document.Somerro, in his red robe, has a difficult task ahead of him: officially announcing the Pope's death.
"Thank you, Doctor, and with your permission I will announce."
"I leave it to you, Your Excellency."
"No, Doctor. From now on, it's up to God."
Summerrow walked slowly to the bedside of the deceased.He has prayed to God many times in his 78 years not to let him witness this moment.He is a quiet person, he does not want to die, but he knows that many responsibilities and burdens are now on his shoulders.
Summerrow examines the body carefully.The 84-year-old Pope has been shot in the chest, colon tumors and complicated appendicitis in his lifetime.Every day, Parkinson's disease ate away at his life, making his heart weaker and weaker, and finally couldn't bear it.
Looking out from the third-floor windows of the palace, the cardinal could see the crowds in St. Peter's Square, where some 200,000 people had gathered.The roofs of nearby buildings are lined with video cameras and TV antennas.There will be more in a while, Summerrow thought, and the situation will overwhelm us in a while.People look up to the Pope, they revere his dedication and sacrifice for the priesthood, and his iron will.It would be a severe blow, although it has been known since January that the pope's condition was deteriorating.Many people prayed for him.Now, we have to face another problem.
At this time, there was a commotion outside the door, and the Vatican's top security commander, Camero Serin, walked in.According to regulations, he was one of the three cardinals who confirmed the death of the Pope and was also the leader of the group.All three, tired faces from anxiety and lack of sleep, approached the Pope's bed.
"Let's get started," Summerrow said.
Mongostein stood beside Summerrow, holding an open locket in his hand.Summerlo removed the veil from the pope's face, then he opened a vial of holy oil, and he began to perform the ceremony in ancient Latin.
(If you are alive, I use the Holy Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit to declare that you are innocent. Amen.) Summerlo made a cross on the forehead of the deceased, and then said, (With this holy oil, God forgives all your sins. .Amen.)
His demeanor and actions were extremely solemn and solemn, and he prayed for the deceased apostle of God, "With the power given to me by the Holy Spirit, I now declare that you are forgiven, and I also bless you. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen."
Summerlo opened the small box and took out a silver hammer from it.He tapped the pope's forehead lightly three times with a silver hammer, each time asking softly: "Karol Wojtyla, are you alive?"
Three times there was no answer.Summerrow looked at the others, and they all nodded.
"The Pope is dead. There is no doubt about that."
Summerlo used his left hand to remove the "Fisherman's Ring" on the Pope's right finger, which is a symbol of power in this world.Summerro then again covered the pope, John Paul II, with his right hand.He took a deep breath and looked at his companion.
"There are still many things waiting for us to do."
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