Omaha daily bee., 1889-10-24
HER HEART EMBALMEp IN WINE.
A Remarkable Custom of the Middle
Ages Recalled.

recalling vividly to mind the customs of
the middle ages, took place here on
Saturday last, writes a Munich corre-
spondent Of the New York Tribune. At
the time of the death OF the Queen
Mother, which occurred some three
months ago, her heart, in accordance
with the traditional usage of the royal
house OF Bavaria, was removed from the
body previous to the embalming OF the
latter, and was placed in magnif-
cent silver-gilt urn, specially made for
the purpose, and filed with spirits of
wine. Early on Saturday last the urn
was conveyed with much pomp and cer-
emony to Alt-Otting, lovely spot about
half an hours ride by rail from here,
where it was placed in the ancient
chapel of our Lady of Mercies. This
sacred edifice, which is famed for pos
sessing picture of the Holy Virgin
brought from the Orient in the seventh
century, and asserted to be endowed
with miraculous properties, occupies
one side of the small market
place of the picturesque lit
tie town. In the inches of its
chancel wall are placed the urns con-
tanning the hearts of all the kings,
queens, dukes, duchesses, princes and
princesses of the House of Bavaria since
the foundation Of the Wittelsbach
dynasty, long centuries ago.
AS soon as the procession started from
the ALI Saints church, as the court
chapel here at Munich is called, the
bells of the cathedral and of all the
churches of the city began to toll, flags
were lowered to half mast and minute
guns were fired. The military governor
of the capital himself was in command
OF the immense escort, and the urn,
draped with Grape, was borne by the
venerable dean OF the court chapel, who
was seated in q splendid stage coach,
drawn by six milk white horses. All
the gorgeous gilt carvings and orna-
ments of the carriage, as we'll as the
lighted lanterns thereof, were shrouded
the horses were almost hidden
from view by heavy black vel
vet and silver trappings. The grand
officers of the royal household and the
cabinet ministers who took part in the
procession were arrayed in full court
dress, gold embroideries and sword
hilts being covered with Grape. At the
Western railroad station the urn was
borne to the special train, which stood
in readiness, all the troops presenting
arms and the officials barring their heads
as it passed up the platform to the royal
carriage.
Punctually at 8 o'clock the special
train steamed into the little station OF
Neu-Otting. A procession was at once
| formed, court carriages, together with
q regiment of cavalry and two battal-
| ions of infantry for service as escort
having been sent from the capital q few
hours earlier. AS at Munich, the dean,
bearing the queens heart, rode in
state carriage and six, which proceeded
| at foot pace till the parish church, an
zNr .,.,l
| architectural beauty, was reached.
On alighuing the dean was received
| by the bishop of the diocese, the abbot
| of the monastic order intrusted with
| the guardianship of the lady chapel and
| the clergy of the parish. After having
| incensed the urn, the bishop and the at
tendaut priests marched, while the
organ was pealing forth the moving
strains of Chopin's funeral anthem. up
the aisle to the high altar, the dean
following with the heart under pur-
| pie and gold baldaquin, borne by the
leading citizens of Alt-O Ottiug, who have
possessed the privilege OF performing
that duty from time immemorial. On
reaching the altar the urn was placed on
| the ''castrum dolorOsis," and the rand
| officers of the royal household, with
| General Count Pappenheim and Count
| Durckheim Montmorin at their head,
took up their places in n semi-circle
around the eatafaique. AT the foot OF
| the latter, which was almost hidden by
wreaths of fragrant flowers, with ta-
bourets, on the purple velvet cushions
| OF which were placed the dead queens
crown. her orders and the various en-
blems OF the royalty which had been
hers in life. Standing beside the
"castrum dolorosis, the dean delivered
| over the urn to the bishop with the fol-
lowing touching words:
| "My Lord Bishop: We are commits
stoned by his royal highness the prince
regent to deliver into your safe Keeping
the heart OF her late majesty, Queen
| Marie of Bavaria. in order that, in ac-
cordance with the traditions OF the
sovereign house of Bavaria, it may find
| its last resting place before the high
| altar in the chapel Of Our Lady OF Alt
| Citing beside the hearts OF her hus-
band, King Maximilian H., and OF her
son, King Louis III. Your iordshlp
knew this heart when it was still alive,
and were acquainted with the sufferin gs
| and SORROWS which it was called upon TO
undergo. But your lOrdship can also
bear witness to the patience with
which it endured all its trials; 10
the deep piety and faith which SO dis
tinguished iJ, and, above all, to the
great love which it bore for the Bava-
rian country and people. 1t has been a
noble and pious heart-this heart OF our
ver-to-be-forgotten Queen Marie.
The rest which was denied to this
heart in life it will find in the holy
Chapel of Our Lady here; and may in
the other world that sorely tried heart
be granted, through the grace of the
Mother of Mercies, the everlasting
peace of God"
A requiem was then sung and the urn
sprinkled with holy water aud sol-
emnly blessed by the bishop, after
which the heart was borne once more in
procession through the streets and
across the market place to the Chapel
OF Our Lady, where it was placed by the
abbot in the niche which had been pre-