Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-10-02

OHdPOl W SAfV thduho IOi Ills sale
return to his home. At chapel
of st. Meriadec was this relic of
st. John, and of course the soldier
could not pass so holy a shrine
without doing it reverence. While
be was praying devoutly the relic
hoped out of its shrine and hid
itself in the wrist of the uncon-
Scious soldier. After his prayers he
resumed his journey, but was sur
prised to see tall spires and lofty
trees bow down before him as he
passed. When he saw the roofs of
his native town, which was the
present st. John, he went into an
other chapel Of st. Meriadec to
offer up thanks; moreover he was
bewildered and confounded at the
great reverence the buildings and
trees were rendering his unworthy
body, and he wished to ask aid of
God and counsel of the priest, as
he was quite ignorant of the great
relic hidden in his wrist. While he
was kneeling and praying at the
altar he felt a quiver in his wrist,
and saw the holy relic hop out and
up on the sanctuary; then he and
all knew that st. John wished his
finger to remain in that chapel.
This was early in the fifteenth CEN
tury.
When the news of this miracu-
lous transportation Of the relic was
noised abroad, it was decided that
beautiful new church should be
bnilt in the place of the little chapel
of st. Meriadec. So new one
was begun in 1440, which was not
completed until 1913. 1t has a
beautiful tower, in form similar to
the Breton spires, with two long
openings or windows on each face I;
its divisions have rich balustrades
above is a platform, with cornice
of three rows of crockets, and sur
rounded by a famboyant balus
trade. From this platform rises up
between four little towers an octa-
gonal spire.
THE INTERIOR OF THE CHURCH.
Inside there are three naves, but
no transept, and it is covered with
one roof; the ceiling is of painted
wood, which is often seen IN Breton
churches. The naves are divided
by pillars, from which rise light,
bold arches. Around the base Of
the ceiling; that is, where the
ends of the wood rest, is a beauti-
full frieze or garland of pine cones,
and buncheS of grapes. The choir
is ended by straight wall. The
suppression Of the apse is one of
the distinctive characteristics of
Gothic architecture in Brittany.
The main window over the choir,
"maitresse vitre," !" as it is called in
France, is remarkable; it has num-
berless compartments formed by
the radiating mullions.
The church treasures are nota-
BILE. The famous finger relic is in
rock crystal case, mounted in
gold. Queen Anne of Brittany,
who married Louis XII of France,
and whose daughter was the wife
of Francis |, is said to have had a
great devotion for this church; she
gave it the fine gold and silver pro-
cessional cross, which Is in beauti-
ful repousse work, and two silver
gilt chalices, one small, with eight
enameled medallions representing
the apostles; the other is said, how.
ever, to be the gift Of Queen Claude
at the time of the birth Of the
Dauphin, 1917. 1t is very hand
some, and is covered with the most
curious workmanship in gold. The
head of Francis | is in relief en-
bosSe on the patena, and on the
bowl and foot of the chalice are
figures of dslphins.
i,Anne of Brittany gave this
church also a pretty little fountain,
or chateau d'eau, as they call it in
Brittany. 1t stands in the ceme-
terry OF churchyard, near the en-.
trance. The water of this fountain
is believed to possess miraculous
qualities, and on the 23d of June
there is great pardon or pilgrimage
made to st. Jean du Doigt, when
miraculous cases are performed by
this fountain water, as we'll as by
the relic of st. John the Baptist's
finger. The fountain construction
is in the French Renaissance style.
The design is extremely graceful,
and is finer than the execution.
There are three vases, one above
another, supported on a column
that unites them. The base of this
column is in a larger basin, that
rests on a pedestal, and which
throws its water from lions mouths.
The surplus water of the upper
basins flows off through a line Of
cherubs' heads, the prettieSt feature
of the composition. There is
group between the two upper basins
representing the baptism of Christ;
above 1t are some angels, and on
the summit of the column the /
Father Eternal. 1t is said to have