The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-08-25
CITY OF THE HOLY COAT.
SAVANNAHIAN'5 REMINIS-
CENCE5 OF TREVES.

4 GdQGOn ana the AlSLOrlC DuliOlu8S
and Ruins Of Treves-Scenes During
the Pilgrimages-The Strange Sight
That is Seen at Echternach.
The exhibition of the holy coat at Treves
is exciting interest the world over. Mr.. G.
| B. Warrand Of this city, who was resident
Of Treves before coming to this country,
and portion of whose family lives there
now, gives an interesting description Of the
ancient city, its people and the pilgrimages
and religious PROFESSIONS which have made
| il famous.
Treves is the French name for the Ger
mau town Trier, on the river Mosel or
| Moselle. Over one Of the old city gates is
| the Latin inscription: ANTE Roman
Trevives Statuit Duos Centos Amos" BE
| fore Rome Treves stood 200 years" For
| centuries it was a prominent provincial
town Of the Roman empire, and many
Roman buildings and ruins are still in ex-
istance aud well preserved. Later Treves
became part Of the Frankish empire and
was governed by tine Bishop Of Treves. a
| powerful preiate. who maintained a large
retlnue Of armed vassals.
THE CITY OF TREvEs.
The city has population of about 80, 900,
almost wholly Catholic. There are less
than 5000 Protestants aud 1000 Hebrews.
! 1t is military post, about 5000 Prussian
troops being stationed there, and it Ia also
the seat OF the provincial government The
population is OF the wealthy aud poorer
| classes, about one>third being of the lower
| class. There is no middle class The prin-
clpal industry of the city is leather tanning.
| The chief building is the cathedral of st.
| Gaugolf, built during the fourth century
| by the bishop of Treves, and in which the
holy coat has been kept for l, 100 years.
The exact place OF its concealment is
secret
The tradition in Treves is that the holy
coat was brought to Italy by Roman SOL
der who assisted in the crucihxion of
Christ aud received this seamless shirt or
vestment for his share. What became Of it
for 300 years after the cruciixion is not
clear. For the next 400 years it was kept
IN an Italian convent, until it came into the
possession of the bishop of Treves.
OFFERINGS OF THE DEvoUT.
The showing of the holy coat, Mr.. War
rand says, means financially a great deal for
the Sc. Gaugolf cathedral, which is one of
the wealthiest churches in Germany. In
1912, the last time the coat was shown, the
box placed in front of the holy coat TO res
celve such offerings as the good pilgrims
think 1t their duty to contribute was car
ried out twice day, and it was all four
strong men could do TO carry it. OF course
many contributions were in coppers, still
the amount received in 1912 was estimated
at 100000 thalers, or 1874, 600. The cathe-
dral is a large owner of real estate and has
mortgages on valuable estates.
Mr.. Warrand's family has an estate in
Treves, and during his life there he devoted
good deal Of study to the history Of the
city and its ancient edifices and ruins.
The cathedral of st. Gaugolf is massive
and somber building.
A CITY OF RUINS.
It is five OF six feet lower than the sur
rounding streets. This elevation is caused
by accumulations of debris upon which
other buildings have been erected. IL is
estimated that each six inches Of elevation
represents century.
Not very far from the cathedr al is the
Port Nigra, massive four-story building
| or gate of Roman style, with arch ed portals
| and windows This building IL over 1900
| years old, and is built OF solid sandstone
blocks. Tness blocks are SO well fitted that
| no mortar WAS used, aud they rest in their
proper places by gravity only. Only three
| stories are visible. The fourth, or rather
first story, is buried by deoris OF eighteen
| centuries The traffic through its immense
| portals, where several teams can pass side
| by side, is through the second story. Only
x.
| They are black and grim, and form a we'll
preserved ruin, which looks as il It might
stand for thousands of years to come.
2, 101-YEAR-oLD BUILDING.
Another building, which is 2,1OO years
| old, is the Basilica, which was renovated
about thirty years ago, and which is now
used as the only Protestant church In the
city. 1t is a brick building, with vast
arched windows 40 feet high and about 10
feet wide The church furnishes seats for
| 5000 people, and has very graceful roof
without single pillar Ole hes to descend
number Of steps, as the floor is ten feet
lower than the streets. The bricks out of
which it is built are about IS inches long
| . inches wide and only 2inches thick. There
| is at least three-quarters CT au inch of NOR
tar between each layer OF brick. Both
mortar and bricks are of excellent quality
and are perfectly sound after 2, 100 years.
THE PALACE OF CoNsTANTIUs.
The palace of the Roman emperor Con-
stantinus is only ruin. But three arches
are left. 1t is also built of bricks and is of
the same style as the Basilica.
The Roman amphitheatre is a little out
of town. 1t is well preserved. The arena,
covering several acres, is well walled in and
distinct The cages, built of stone and sur
| rounding the arena are we'll preserved. The
old Roman baths on the banks of the river
have, within few years, since Mr.. Warrand
| left Ireves, been eXcavatsd under twenty
feet of dirt. Nobody knew of their exist
ence. They were covered up by cultivated
fields. They are, however, well preserved
and cover several acres of ground.
The holy coat is, of course, the chief relic
in Treves and next to it Is the crown worn
by martyr, and part Of the bones of st.
Matthew, which are kept in church in
the suburbs, called st. Matthias. Every
summer thousands of pilgrims 60 there in
professions, bareheaded and in two long
rows, praying and singing as they go and
come. The trip is always made on foot and
occupies from one to three weeks. After
reaching TreveS each ono of the process
sions, representing separate community,
purchases as an offering a large wax
candle.
A PROCESSION OF CANDLES.
These candles vary in length and size from
three or four feet long to thirty and forty
feet in length. The thickness is in propor-
ton, from three inches to fifteen inches
The larger the congregation the longer the
candles. These candles are burned for a
few hours, and after standing around the
altar for little while are sold back to the
dealers. Several hundred are thus offered
every year, and as they are made of pure
boeswaz, highly ornamented with all kinds
or figures in wax and gilt, they are ex-
penslve costing from few dollars up to
several hundred dollars. The income from
the sale Of such candles sold back to
! dealers is quite considerable.
| About ten miles due north from Treves is a
small place called Echternach, in tho duchy
OF Luxembourg, which has every year one Of
a a. re 81 - l.