Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Death of a Habsburg

Andrew Cusack has a post about the recent funeral of one of the sons of Blessed Emperor Karl of Austria. Archduke Karl Ludwig was buried in the Capuchin crypt in Vienna with his ancestors. (It was right after visiting that crypt in 1995 that I had the inspiration to write Trianon. It is an awesome place.) According to the old custom, the body of the late emperor's son was announced at the Capuchin church in the following manner:
When they reach the Capuchin church, a member of the funeral party cries "Open!" and the Abbot inquires "Who are you? Who asks to enter?"

"We bear the remains of His Imperial & Royal Highness, Archduke Carl Ludwig Maria Franz Joseph Michael Gabriel Antonius Robert Stephan Pius Gregor Ignatius Markus d'Aviano of Austria!"

"We know him not," the Abbot responds. "Who goes there?"

And again: "We bear the remains of His Imperial & Royal Highness, Archduke Carl Ludwig Maria Franz Joseph Michael Gabriel Antonius Robert Stephan Pius Gregor Ignatius Markus d'Aviano of Austria!"

"We know him not". For the third time, the Abbot inquires, "Who goes there?"

"We bear the body of Carl Ludwig, our brother, a sinner like us all." At that moment, the doors of the abbey swing open and the Abbot calls out "You may enter!"

Share

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

How moving...brought a tear to my eye. At death our station in life becomes equal in the sight of God.

elena maria vidal said...

We are dust and return to dust.