Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1881-11-04
The Iron Crown of Lombardy =,

The Iron Crown of Lombardy,
Not far from Milan there is s pretty
old town called Nora. Here the
Italians like 20 spend the warm days Of
SUMNER ard autumn. The situation is
fine, tia climate agreeable. and so
ciety enjoys the idea that it is favor
tie resort Of King Hnmbert and his
charming wife.
Ali these things make Mona inter
esting, but might not have drawn q
party Of Americans there, one warm
summer day, had there not been added
an OF iact Of still greater interest.
The careful guardian Of the Iron
Crown of Lombsrdy tells all visitors of
its threefold value; artistic, historic
ard spiritual. We were ready to ap-
preciste these points. if only the op.
portunity offered.
The cathedral of Mona holds the
treasure. The pleasing old building is
perhaps trif, dark and grim. Its
crowd OF relics and gifts, kept in the
inner chapels and robiDg rooms. de-
manded share of our attention. Like
all good yergers, our guide in this
cathedral deemed it far beyond all
others in interest.
At last we reached the chapel at the
right of the CHI DIR, where the crown is
lspt, secure from inapprecistiye eyes.
A fac -simile is hung on the wall at one
side; but the magical influence of a
6ve-frano piece was needed to unveil
the original. When assured that our
desire was sincere, the verger left us to
wait few moments, while he made the
necessary arrangements. We had
naturally expected bunch tf keys,
and were only surprised to see them
coming in the bands of new man,
who was attended by oar former friend,
We followed close to the altar rail,
expecting that the supreme moment Of
the occasion had arrived; but no! The
attendant simply opened huge chest
and took out four large candles. Al
the same moment we heard step ap
preaching the chapel, and looked mp tc
see the handsome young priest. who
bad been in the Treasury with us. Hi.
purple robe was now surmounted by 6
priestly tunio.
He brought four handsome silver
candlesticks, in which the candles
we're set and lighted. They were ther
arranged along the altar rail. W.
were really wondering now what mex
would happen.
An acolyte came. swinging his censel
before an elderly priest. who ap
preached the altar with the greates
reverence. A ladder by the side Of thu
altar led to platform above; one of the
vergers climbed to that height, anG
opened the doors OF the wooden case
which formed the oHter covering o.
the crown. All the forms of worship
seemed redoubled; but we could see
only a plain yellowish silk curtain
This was dropped, and there We saw
the famous crown. resting in the hear
of finely ornamented cross.
When tho Lombards came from the
north to Italy. they were very rougt
and savage; and the heart Of Pope
Gregory I. had been greatly touched tc
think that by the influence Of the good
queen Theolinda. her husband. the
great Antharic, had become q Chris.
tian. As a reward, he sent her the
iron nail, which she utilized to make 9
sacred Lombard crown for her hus.
bands successor in SOL.
After that, the Lombards used il
Away in their coronations. At least
thirty-six kings have been crowned
with it. Charlemagne forced the
Lombards to crown him their king
when he conquered them in TIA.
Charles V. was crowned Emperor
at Bologna by the pope. with this
sacred emblem. in 1880. Napoleon re-
ceived the nominal comm an l of Italy
with the iron crown, in Milan Cathe-
dral, in 1905. In 1866, the Austrian
Emperor presented the crown to the
KING of Italy. May " United Italy
long hold it as her ownl