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Show CMI1NAL MERGIER 'DARK HORSE' kl VATICAN I I . . . . 1 FUNERAL FOR j i LATE POPE SET i FOR THURSDAY 'More Than Half Million Persons Have Viewed Benedict's Body ELECTION IS TOPIC Vatican's Future Relations With Italy Center of Most Interest I ROME, Jan. 2G. (By The Assoclat- i ed Press.) The funeral of Pope 1 Benedict will be held at 3 o'clock to- i morrow afternoon. It was announced j at the Vatican today. Pilgrims today continued to arrive i from all parts of Paly, camping in , the open ulr before St Peters in the I hope of getting a glimpse of the body. I More than half a million persons have filed past the catafalque in the two days, on which the body 11?. Ml ItCIl i: I RK HOHCE" Meanwhile the foreign cardinals continue to arrive for the CQn,ra,v' -the sacred college n't which tho new pontiff will be elected. Cardinal Mer-cier Mer-cier of Belgium, who is looked upon ns somewhat of a "dark horse" in tho j election, is expected in time for the 1 funeral. It is acknowledged on all side that he is certain to poll more votes on the first ballot than anv other foreign car- , dinal. ' I Ml.ll 111 1 . IUISJ I . Interest In the election centers I greatly upon its possible effect n the relations between the Vatican and the i Italian government Cardinal Maffi Is represented as being supported by the I group favoring a rapprochement while Cardinal GasparrI, now acting j head of the church, favors contlnu-jance contlnu-jance of Benedict's policy of tolerance , without recognition. I W mis SEPARATION. Cardinal Merry Del Val. also mentioned men-tioned as s possible choice, is sup-: sup-: ported by the faction favoring abso-1 abso-1 lute separation. This group is thought to have more than a majority in the ' conclave. A two-thirds voto, however. I is necessary' for election. I Cardinal Bourne, archbishop of ! Westminster, arrived today from England Eng-land and Vjelted St. Peters, where he j rendered homage to the dead pope. The statement has appeared In scv- eral newspapers that Crown Prince ' Humber visited tho cathedral yesterday yester-day to view the body. This is seml- officially denied through the Stefanl news agency. |