Heaped with fresh earth and blooming with' ephemeral autumn flowers, the tomb of Dr. Pai Who first. apostle of Chinese Gathotic action," was the scene of in impressive ceremony on Friday, the tercentenary of his death, Hundreds of the devout filled St. Ignace's Church at Zi-Kai-Wel in the morning, when requiem mass for The dead statesman was officiated, making the brief pilgrimage down narrow, flag-draped lanes. to. the tomb in the afternoon, when solemn Fesponse was held.
Among those who waited patient ly for hours to pay their respects fo the great ead, sere between three and four hundred members of the Zi family, for Dr, Paul Zi, onetime Prime Minister of China, is known as "Shanghai's most ited eon."
Morning to a. stately rhythm, came the procession, up the stone of. the entrance, past the Granite cross bearing full-Tength portrait of Dr. Paul Zi when he wasa dignitary of the court at Pexing, 2 resplendent figure in the Glegance of Mandarin attire, Chrough the twilight of the pavilion swith its scarlet and Imperial yellow lanterns, its" showers" of varans coloured chrysanthemums, its scores Gf flickering candles sheltered by the hands of the devout, toward the Gives purple-covered chairs waiting before the tomb. vi 'The carefully, starched surplices of the acolytes, the black: and si Gigaity'of the' Bishop's vestments, the gleam of the golden crucifix Domne' on high, the pungest odour Of the incense—components. of the Garemony Were startlingly vivid.
"The response was officiated by Bishop Haouisce, 8.3. and after the religious ceremony several addresses Were delivered, including one Father: Tsang, held the morning at St. and was attended by lead Bers of the French 0 Among. those prose king, M. Mey general, BIN. Coiffard, Delvaux de Fenite, Acting Bel: ginn Consul-General," and "many Sthers, General Wu Teh-chen was Tailed "Shanghai's mout gifted Dr. Paul, better known as Zi] Korlao, was responsible for the inauguration of a new era in Chinn through the introduction of western learning. He has been call-td, with complete justification, "the first" apostle of Chinese Catholic action.
Though his family had its beginings in Kinngeu, the homestead Tater was moved to Soochow, Sung-Kiang and, tilly, to Shanghai. 'There, the boy destined to become done of the greatest men in the land Was" born on April. 24, 1662; Brilliant even in an age dedicated to knowledge, he passed numerous examinations" with' flying colours. Once, however, he failed to att His enol and,' chagrined, travelled fo"Kwantung, and there inet Father Cattaneo, 8, Who opened a new World. by showing him images of Our Saviour, He was baptised in Nanking in 1608.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.