Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-08-21
THE HOLY COAT.
EXHIBITION OF THE RELIC AT
TREVES BEGUN.
Impressive Ceremonies-Knights Of Malta
on Guard-History OF the Relic
Question OF Its Authenticity.
tBy Anglo American cable 70 tho Dispatch.l


costume. with drawn swords in their
hands, stood on either side Of the shrine
enclosing the Holy-Coat case. which was
surrounded by tall, lighted candles on
handsome candlesticks, and surmounted
by large gold cross. There was an i'm
pressiye scene in the sanctuary, over q
hundred priests assisting III the ceremo-
MES, which were grand in the extreme.
THE TRsyEs CEREMONIAL.
The Holy Cont Is said to bo the seamless gar
mcnt OF the Saviour, for which the Roman col
diers cast lots after his death.
lts exhibition will continue for ak weeks: and
no doubt thore will be great concourse OF pil-
grims 20 view It. When It WAS last exhibited in
1S44, not loss than million and half of
strangers visited the city.
Ireves, though only a bishOphric since 1921,
Was long the seat of an archbishop who was one
OF the ecclesiastical electors OF the German em-
pire. According 20 legend, the city was founded
300 years before Rome; bat historic criticism
merely comedies that II IL probably the Oldest OF
German cities, 1t Is richer In Roman remains
than any other town in Northern Europe, was
long a fsyOrite residence Of Constantine and
other cmperOrs, and was called for time
"R Rome Beyond the Alps" The Cathedral has
for its germ Roman basica Of the fourth
century, converted into Christian church. re-
stored by Bishop Nicctius In 800, and afterwards
enlarged by Archbishop Poppo and his sue
cessors In the eleventh and twelfth centuries,
who left II substantially in it's present form.
st. Helena, the mother Of Constantine, who
died as early as J26 or 32S, went on pilgrimage
10 Jerusalem. and while there Identified the
holy places, discovered the cross on which the
Saviour cruched, 30 the story goes, and
brought back with her the seamless coat. This
she presented 10 tho OF reves. 10 is not
at ali unlikely that the Saint made the presenta-
tiOn or that the garment she gave has been pre-
served for more than 1,jOO years, though
Treves has passed through serious vicissitudes,
and the greatest point Of doubt IA TO iiH aulhen-
ITCHY II IN her discovery OF IT in tho Holy Land
How had II been preserved there ana now
was sho able 20 identify III She had power
and wealth to procure anything atta,nabie. Dut
snc was for that very reason open To inpOsture
PASTORAL OF THE BISHOP or TREVEs.
In his pastoral Announcing his purpose TO ex-
hibit the Holy Coat, the Bishop OF royes touches
on the authenticity OF the relic He says IN the
first place that IL is purely question OF historic
cal evidence:
"Perhaps you will ask me, my brethren,
whether tho ycncratOn OF the holy relic when
our Cathedral possesses be founded on fact.
whether we must acknowledge IL 20 be the coat
without seam which our Lord Jesus Christ wore
on earth. think 1t my pastoral duty to answer
this question to the best 0i my knowledge ana
conscience. First OF all we must remember that
I'm this there H. question nj all OF an artl-
Gle Of faith II is true Catholic-unless his
| faith has suffered shipwreck-mu-t not DOUBT III
| the least that we owe vcneraiiOn 10 the rclcs
| OF our Saviour and of the Saints. and that we
| Justly venerate these relics. But when there Is
| a question about the authenticity OF certain
relic IN particular. tnen cNtINbpl! II Icil''llf
| free 10 form his opinion on sound ana reasonable
arguments. \ Catholic who wantonly or without
grave reasons doubts or rejects the authentlclty
| OF certain relic may appear arrogant ana IT.
reverant, but ne is not for that 20 be considered
orring III faith. The authenticity OF reno, lAe
any other historical fact. l. founded and proved
| on the testimony Of man. The authenticity OF no
relic be II the most eminentof the Oldest church
| Of Chrstendom, falls under any preccpt OF Cath
| olic faith"
| He adds that according 10 the decrees Of the
Council of Trent bishops before sanctioning
the public exhibition Of any relic are bound 10
| consult with pious and learned men before
coming 10 n conclusion as 70 its authenticity Ac-
| knowledeing n strong indispOriton 10 discredt
the traditions OF the Diocese Of Treyes, or 10 ac-
cuse his predecessors OF fraud or undue ere
dulity, the Bishop made
pUE EXAMINATION.
| "Uoy could venture 10 think that my prcdc-
| cessOrs in the see q, ST. Eucharils had been
| wanting in the necessary care and vigilance Tor
! n cause so emnenily important and hoy-that
| is in examining the authenticity Of such rclc'
! and that IN spite of Tho solemn decrees OF the
| Church how could presume 10 think that they
| had kept silence or conniyed at what they knew
| TO be fraud just at those times when this
relic commanded more than usual attention
we nnd that the Church oi lreVes
| was ruled by excellent bishops. such
| as Epbcrt, Poppo, Eperhard, Cgo, Bruno.
| sons Of very noble families pous, sanity arch
| bishops prominent by their educhtion AZ wei as
| distinguished by their sacerdotal virtues. And
| IL il likely that men like these should have
| ignored all the DEGREES OF the Church concerning
| the veneraiion Of the most prominent relic oi
| their Cathedral and have behaved frivolously in
| 20 important matter? No; the pieiy which we
| owe 10 the Atqinless memory Of these princes OF
| the Church shrinks from such SUSPICION. SIM
| ME fairness fOrbds such an impu lion
| Al am certain-and you will pardon me Tor
| making the declaratiOn-that would not for all
| the world cooperate in such fraud, IN such q
| deception concerning the deNOuon OF my people
| and nv predecessors and brethren in the episco-
mi orre-I san say without fear OF exposing
| myself TO the suspicion Of false humiliiy-thcse
| predecessors Of Inin9 were better than i am.
| Watching over the very old tradition OF my
| Cathedral church, ana over me repnUi-
| ton and honor Of its pOntils, ] must
adhere to the conviction | have, that
these traditions rest upon truth, that the arch
| bishops of Trcyes neither erred nor were
| deceived Indeed, | would fear 10 Sin against
| the Church of Treves II discarded ~ worth
| less thing that relic which our ancestors re-
| garded as their most precious treasure: MINK
! il NV duty, my dear brethren. without any
| reserve 10 speak out this my conviction, yet
| without Wishing 10 force 1t upon anybody. But
| I'm order 10 satisfy reasonable inquiries, ana 70
| solve some doubts, | havH ordered careful
| evamination 10 the Holy Coat before II be sol
| emnIy exhibited. In the presence OF the chap
| lev of the Cathedral and some competent iudge5
| his examination took place iast suinmer' and
| lasted several days. The result was ,that there
was nothing found that contradicted the oid ira
dition OF the Church OF Ireves
| REPORT OF A COMMISSION.
| Tho New York Press says that the commission
| To examine and report ON the reuc was COMPOSER
| ~ several preiates the Mayor Oi lreNes, ana the
| General of the district. This summary OF the
| According to this report, the relic, which is
| urescryod in silver shrine contalncd III the III
orior of the high altar consists OF ione
| ;al robe made Of thre layers or thlcknesses oi
| tovfile fabrics OF tnese the nrst ana Inc thTd
are of IA Kind OF silken material, the texture ana
| nattern Of which enabled the expert present 10
1 ,.faf hftnR
! 80 tho sixth or seventh century. In between
| these two silken layers, and protected thereby'
| - - art of woven linen fabric Of brOwnish hue,
| and manifestly OF vastly greater ahoqui'S '"an
| either of tho silken coverings.
| IL differs from the latter moreover, IN lts lree-
dom from the trace Of any stitch or sehih' II y
| an woven in one piece. III was eVuehl, tneie-
| fore 10 the members OF the COMMISSION VI III
| snection--and their opinion was grounded on
| documentary evidence-that IL was lhe hheu
| and not the eilken fabric whicn was ihe loihous
| "Tunca inconsutilis, the seanilcss ssSinon vi,on
| woven. according 10 tradition, by the virgin
| Nsrv's own hands for her divine son. Inc sol
dicrs. .when they had crucihed Jesus, tooH I ms
| garments and made four parts, TO every sololer
| n mart: and also his coat. Now the coa. was
| srifnout seam woven from the top Throughout.
| They said therefore among themselves, Lev us ~
| NOT rend H. but cast lots Tor whose II shal De.
| Isl. John XIX. 20, 2f.) -. ,o.o., ,ho
| TLe commission reported that whereas inc
| linen fabric was uninjured the TWO silken innings
showed some trace OF nlildew due 10 camp. lhls =
| was carefully removed by means OF sllrls - VI
| wine and COTTONWOOD, after which both the rene
itself and its SILK Innings were sewn up uy % .
counle of nuns in a species OF bag or covering o
hrown-colored grenadne in the presence OF the
! commiseion, restored 20 the lewened sliver
shrine in the high altar, and sealed up by DISH
| ons. dean, and burgomaster.
| The Bshop in his pastoral says that ne mas
| hooo nrred 10 repeat the ceremonial OF ls44
| freouentiy, and that four years ago at genera
o,,t,,-esa 81 The Catholics Of Germany the desire
s,,ed strking expression and was received with
enthusiasm. After discussing the sort o. vene,
ratIon which 1t is proper to pay 10 rencs an
their inferior agency as means oi gtsee ne
eioaes with a statement of the purpose OF the eh-
| s,bi,ion of the Holy Coat IL Is designed 10
awaken by appeals 10 the senses realization OF
he human personally of the saviour ana re,
| naxvei NJ homage 70 His divine character. Ana
Nv M C,hnlcs the Holy Coatis represented as In a
sperisi way symbol of the unity oil their
| Church.