Religion: 80th Birthday

The audience that assembled in the Vatican's gold-ceilinged Consistory Hall one morning last week included no cardinals, bishops or diplomats. When Pius XII entered, 203 children from 17 nations gaily waved wands of lilies.

The Pope, declining his throne, motioned to his personal servant to place a chair for him on the floor "so that I won't look too big." Behind him, a blue-smocked boy and a white-smocked girl laboriously lit the 80 candles on a dove-dotted birth day cake bought by the children themselves. Then, with the blazing cake before him, the Pope found himself the center of a dancing ring-around-a-rosy. A tremulous child chorus burst out: "Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday, Holy Father, happy birthday to you." On the way back to his apartment, the Pope found 17 cardinals waiting for him in the Hall of Popes. They wished him an informal happy birthday in their turn.

Outside in St. Peter's Square a crowd of 30,000 assembled for Pius XII's birthday blessings, shouting "Viva il Papa!" and "Auguri!" (best wishes). There were presents, too, fit for a Pope: a volume chronicling the Pontiff's achievements in chapters titled "The Pope as Writer," "The Pope as Jurist," "The Pope of the Virgin Mary" (by Thomas Merton), "The Pope's Works for Peace," etc.; another book dedicated to him by the Pontifical Academy of Sciences titled Galileo, Unjustly Condemned; a Steuben glass cup from U.S. Cardinal Spellman.

The major occasion was saved for March 11, Sunday—a combined celebration of the Pope's 80th birthday and the 17th anniversary of his reign. Special missions from 25 countries will join in a Special Pontifical High Mass in St. Peter's, and there will be outdoor ceremonies for some 80,000 representatives of Catholic Action and other groups. As an extra tribute to the Pope, who has done so much to bring his church to the workingman, the cornerstone will be laid for a new church in Rome, dedicated to honor Pius' 80th birthday. The name Pius chose for the church: Gesu Lavoratore (Jesus the Worker).