Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-09-03
The "Holy Coat" of Trevcs.

On August 18th of the year 1914 there
was exhibited in the cathedral Of the
ancient city of Treves, in Prussia, the
most famous of all sacred relics-the
"Holy Coat" garment said to have
been worn by Christ throughout His
passion, His trial before Pontius Pilates
and His agonizing journey TO the spot
where His cruci6xion was carried out.
Between the date mentioned and the
sixth day of October, when the relic
was again withdrawn from public gaze,
over million of people, bishops, priests
and laity, visited the CATHEDRAL of st.
Pierre and Toasted their eyes on the
sacred robe, for the most part with
wonderment and veneration. On the
Gosh of this present month, after an in
terval Of exactly AZ years, the "IIoly
Coat will again be exposed to the view
of all corners, no matter what their
creed, and by virtue of an edict issued
by the church through Bishop Felix of
the local diocese, remain SO for a like
space Of time. The event, ii is needless
to say, has been for weeks and months
awaited with the greatest interest by all
true Catholics, not only of Germany,
but Of the whole Old World. During
this period the influx of pilgrims and
visitors into the old cathedral city has
been daily increasing, until, from the
latest accounts, their carriage and lodg-
ment has become serious question TO
the railr0ad authorities and the worthy
burghers of Treves. No small proper
ton of these travellers consists of the
sick and main, in whose minds is firmly
plt taI hash lao 30. IL.
look upon the sacred garment will in
sure complete and instantaneous cure.
The history of this veneratcd relic
to the minds at least of those whose re
ligion bids them venerate it's plain
and sufficiently well authenticated. 1t
was obtained by the Empress Helena,
mother of Constantine the Great, during
her soiourn in the Holy Land, and pre-
scented by her on her return TO Treves,
then the capital of Belglc Gaul and resi-
dence Of the Roman emperors, to the
cathedral Of the city. This was during
the episcopate of Agritius, and some
time between the years 3i4 and 1874.
That the empress did make some such
gift is proved by an ancient ivory, for
centuries in the possession of the cathe-
dral, which represents her seated at the
church door awaiting the arrival of n
procession closed by Il chariot in which
two ecclesiastics arc standing on guard
before chest containing some precious
gift. The ivory was carefully examined
and its legend substantiated by the
Archaeological Society of Frankfort in
the year 1846.
AT the close Of the twelfth century the
Hnltr Goat trnt ,ulo taA No. t,S -
its first resting place-to the high
altar Of the cathedral, and after an in
teryal of 300 years was exhibited "for
the veneration of the faithful in 1912.
During the wars and stormy times Of the
seventeenth and eighteenth centuries it
was deposited for security first at the
castle of Ehrenbreitstein, and later at
Augsburg. From this latter hiding
place ii was removed in the year 1916
by special permission of the first Ma
poleon, and restored with great cere.
money, to the Cathedral of Treves, then,
and until the treaty of 1915, French
possession. In spite of the chaotic
troubles through which all Europe was
then passing, over 227000 pilgrims jour.
neycd to the city to celebrate the restor.
alton of the relic.
The exhibition of the Holy Coat in
1SA left mark, and almost an indelible
one, upon the history of the Roman
Catholic Church. The excitement
caused by the pilgrimage of million
souls to one small Prussian town was a:
nothing compared with subsequent
events which arose solely from the ac
ton Of the church in allowing the relic
to be displayed and worshipped. Ger.
tain members of the church, stigmatized
then and now as rationalists, took of
fence at the proceedings, and argued il
". iting not only against the authenticity
of the Holy Coat, but against the advis
ability Of thus working upon the feelings
and credulity of such vast numbers Of
| their fellow religionists.