The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1873-11-09
A Recent Swiss Pilgrimage.

In Switzerland, the 22d of September is the
Feast of st. MAURICE and his oo@g ga Of the
the Canton Valais was erected in honor Of
the martyrs, and is still enriched with their
relics. Its Abbot is the Bishop of Bethlehem
known. One of the legions of Diocletian
raised in the Thebais or upper Egypt was COM
posed of Christians and had Christian officers,
marching against Gaul Maximiau, the comman-
der in chief, issued an order at Octodurum, now
Martigny, that the whole army should join in
Offering sacrifice to the gods Tor the SUCCESS OF
commander, Mauricius, thereupen withdrew,
and encamped near Agaanum, now called st.
Maurice, and there suffered defamation day
death for their faith. (See Butler's lires Of the
Saints, Sept. 22) To this place 10000 Swiss
with eight Bishops made pilgrimage on the
22d of September last, ard finished with the
following acclamations:
me ask you if you had to choose between death
and denial of your faith, would You not repeat
the words of the Martyr, Death rather than dis
honor?
Pilgrims.-Yes, death rather than deny our
| faith
Bishop.-Your acclamations are the renewal
| of the promises made at the holy time OF your
Confirmation and first Communion. Be faith
| full to them.
| Let us swear fidelity, love, and worship, to
| Jesus Christ, the Immortal King of Glory,
| Son of God made man, who was crucifed, rose
| again, and assembled into heaven, our Sovereign
Judge, God together with the Father and the
Holy Ghost.
| Love, honor, veneration and glory to the
Martyrs who have loved Jesus Christ, and suf-
fered prosecutions, Punishment and death for
| their love.
Fidelity, glory, and love to Plus X, our in
| fallible Pontif, the Vicar of Jesus Christ.
| Fidelity, love and obedience to the Bishops
united to Plus, and by means of Plus to Peter,
yr...- H@I Ertoa ia
charged to teach ant lead the souls of men to
salvation.
Love and fidelity to the Bishops of the whole
Catholic world.
Men of Valais, love and fidelity to the Bishop
of Sion, your father in God.
People Of Lausanne, love and fidelity to your
father in God, the Bishop OF Lausanne, heroic
confessor OF tho faith, ere now prisoner in
Chillon.
Catholics of prosecuted Geneva, love and f.
deity to your banished Bishop, brave Apostle
| of Jesus Christ.
Men of Eastern Switzerland, love and fdel-
ity to our brother Bishops of st. Gall, of Coir,
and to onr worthy fellow-laborers.
Men of the Abbey and town of st. Maurice,
! love and fidelity to the Bishop of Bethlehem,
| guardian of the relics of the Martyrs and of
The ancient faith in that famous Abbey.
(Here the pilgrims burst into acclaluations
for the Bishop, who was forgetting himself and
his banishments.)
Honor to the brave and faithful priests,
ready, like the martyrs, to suffer every thing,
even death, rather than betray and deny the
Church.
Honor, glory, and love to all who suffer for
the Church and for Jesus Christ.
Love, honor, and glory to the Canton OF
Valsis, to its priests to its magistrates, to its
people firm in the faith, to the ancient and
famous Abbey of st. Maurice, to its venerable
cauons, the guardians of learning and teachers
of youth.
Love, honor and glory to our dear Swrtzer-
land, our native country, once the classic land
of liberty, peace and prosperity to all its chill
dren. But let us not forget, in one that passes
away, our everlasting country.
Let us all who are present swear, Ike tne
martyrs of the Theban Legion, to die rather
than deny our faith-the holy faith OF our
fathers-for which Jesus Christ, His Apostles,
and millions of martyrs have suffered ana dled.
Now let us say the beliere, the glorious
watch word of our faith, (Here the 20, 600 re-
cited with their Bishop the Apostles Creed.)
Let us, who are Bishops, on this solemn day
renew the oath Of our conservation. Let us
swear union and fidelity to the infallible Pope,
love to Jesus Christ; let us swear to suffer q
thousand deaths rather than betray our sacred
Office.
Do YOU, too who are priests, renew the Vows
and promises OF your holy ordination, and
swear to remain faithful to Jesus Christ, what
ever sufferings await you.
Prie8ts.-We swear.
Bishop.-And you, Christians renew the pro-
misses Of your baptism; of your first comma
MON and confirmation. Swear to remain IN
life and death faithful children of our Holy
Mo5her, the Catholic, Apostolic and Roman
Church.
People-We swear.
Bsfop.-Now, let us pray our Lord Jesus
Christ 10 help us to keep these promises, and
let us remember this great day.
Several months ago Cincinnati was proud