Show J PRIESTS IN ROBES i i FOLLOW BATTLE I I CHARGES G H A R G E S r rI I I It Italians Give Absolution u do n to Those Who Fall In in I 1 Advance tj t- t j I I By By HENRY WOOD Unit United d Press Start Staff Correspondent Rome ROle Feb 12 Italian Italian priests who j have gone to the front as army chaplains chap chap- I loins lains have hate imposed on themselves a R. duty that mal males makes es their calling one of the most dangerous in the fife present great war The Italian chaplains insist on participating participating participating par par- in every charge so they may maybe be present to administer absolution to those kill killed d In fn the advance The moment momEnt moment mo mo- ment the order is given to charge the priests unarmed and encumbered by by their clerical robes leap from th the trenches with the men As they dash forward they administer adminis adminis- ter absolution to those about bout them and stop atop only when the men begin to falland falland fall falland and it is necessary to bend over the dying dying dy dy- ing and take their take their final confessions In the diary of Don Gilardi chaplain o of one of oP the most famous Italian liere regiments w which ich has just been sent home from the front is given the following description of this new duty of the Italian priests It is the enemy who is talking From the iho very moment of daybreak th their lr artillery ar artillery ar- ar tillery has thundered vomiting forth steel and flames against the rocky crest of Mount M M- M Suddenly th the order Is given for the assault t. I leap from the trenches with whit my soldiers rs whom absolutely no obstacle can hold back At short intervals I stop and give absolution to those of my poor men who have fallen fatally wounded The others see me as they dash past They turn merely long enough to make the tho sign of oJ the cross and then away they go under the hail of fire When we are half halt way to the enemy's enemy's enemy's ene ene- mys my's trenches I see fall mortally wounded one of my clearest dearest liese a a. native of the Trentino I run run to him and he tells me he wants me to confess him and Immediately he commences commences commences com com- his sins asking God to forgive him Then taking suddenly with a ten ten- tender tender der homesickness he repeated the name of his mother and of his native city Oh how beautiful father Is my n na nativo na native tive tivo he cries as he presses my hand Then he ho takes the crucifix and and presses it against tho iho gaping wound inin Inin in inin in his breast Just then there passes the flag lag of Ot the the the- the Infantry Infantry- The Th The native nativo of rente 7 rente who already has tar tho iho mists before hi his eyes asks me what it is Its the flag of oP Italy an n ambulance bearer tells him The dying 4 carries his ills hand slowly to his forehead a arid and d salutes salutes sa- sa lutes lules the flag of his country There Then all of his forces for fora a final effort he half halt rises and cries out Soldiers liberate my beloved beloyed Those were his last words words- A little later he died murmuring a prayer And Aud then I 1 had to hurry away to the others like him but even in the moment moment moment mo mo- ment that he ha died flied there could be heard above the roar of the cannon the shrieks of our trumpets which told of I victory and I think he heard them be before before be- be fore he te breathed his last |