Cardinal Giuseppe Sarto, the Patriarch of Venice, has been elected Pope, and has taken the title of Pius X.
I learn from one of the cardinals that the progress of the balloting which led to the election of Cardinal Sarto was most interesting. In the first ballot he had only four votes, which gradually increased until on Monday evening he had 37, which meant his election this morning.
Although he had seen that his election was coming, when the moment arrived on Monday evening emotion overcame him. With tears streaming down his face he thanked his brother cardinals for their good-will, but added that the responsibility was so tremendous that he could not undertake it.
This came on the Conclave like a thunderbolt. All began to try and persuade him that his election was the evidence choice of Providence, but he replied again and again with great emotion, ╥I cannot.╙ The whole evening was a most trying period for their Eminences, divided as they were between sitting with the invalids (for several cardinals are ill) and endeavouring to persuade Cardinal Sarto that it was his duty to accept the high office to which he had been chosen. Once his emotion was so great that he seemed to lose consciousness, but he was revived with salts.
With all the pressure brought to bear upon him, however, he would not give any promise, and so when the cardinals met this morning they were still uncertain whether they would not have to proceed to the election of some other member of the College. When, this morning, Cardinal Sarto╒s majority was read out and he was asked if he would accept the election he replied with resignation, ╥If the cup cannot pass from me.╙
So the Catholic Church has a head who will be profoundly religious if not political.
