New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-09-06

hhu ior"iH"ou tnem In an edlct winch uecAreu :
" IL est defendu de faire des miracles en- Get
endroit."
In ss7 at the general meeting of Catholics
Bishop korum, who In his official capacity is
custodian of the relic, was publicly asked by the
Bishop Of Luxembourg to expose the Holy Coat
to the veneration Of the faithful. He replied that
heretofore God had always determined the time
for such an exhibition, which had been signifed
by an event of worldwide consequence. Whether
such time had again been reached he could not
say, but he gave the assurance that when 1t dld
arrive the whole of Catholic Germany should see
now lrier honors its treasure. This utterance Is
now recalled, and much speculation Is INDUCED
concerning the meaning Of the Bishops words ana
subsequent action. / have read his pastoral IN
which he proclaims the exhibition and invites
his Hook to a Joyous celebration Of the event, in
the hope Of finding an explanation But l can
find none. He simply mentions that when the
request was made Of him four years ago the time
did not seem appropriate, but now, quieter days
having been reached, he can no longer Withstand
the desires of his faithful flock. In 1914 the
exhibition followed on the heels of triumph of
the Catholic Church over the Prussian Govern
ment in Culturkampf not unlike that pre-
clpitated few years ago by Bis
marck. Is there a parallel to be noted
here? Among other reasons, is one a desire
to make demonstration of the political power
of the Catholic Church in Germany The ques-
ton has already been asked, and we may look
forward to an energetic discussion of it when
the polemcal sluice-gates are opened as they were
after the pilgrimages of 1914 were ended
The Holy Coat of Trier is alleged to be the
garment without seam which Christ wore during
his passion and for which the Roman soldiers cast
lots at the orucifxion. It's history for the last
500 years is clear enough In all that time it
has been preserved in the Cathedral generally
sealed up in an altar But darkness shrouds the
story Of the relic prior to the twelfth century.
The Church relies for proof of its authenticity
upon h tradition that it was one of chest full
Of relics sent as gift to the Church at Treves by
the Empress Helena, mother Of Constantine, and
finder of the true cross in the first third of the
fourth century. The documentary evidence cited
to uphold this tradition has been mercessly crit-
cised by scholars. The interpretations in a letter
attributed to Pope Sylvester "a. d. $500, adopted
by the unknown author Of the Costa Trcvirorum,
who first mentions the presence of the Holy Coat,
have been so completely proved that they are
practically admitted by the last defender of the
relics authenticity. This defender is Dr. Stephen
Beissel, S. j. whose book of 3Os pages splendid
monument Of patient work and singular example
Oh Nndb Is 10 parade us lOSlci
l have read with patient care. This book, an
official defence almost as comprehensive published
by Bishop Korum's secretary, DR.. c. Willems, and
small library of less consequential pamphlets,
were called out by the many attacks which have
been made on the relic. The most pondcrous of
these attacks was book published shortly after
the exposition of 1914 by Gildemeister and Won
Sybel two professors at the University of Bonn
the most embarrassing, strangely enough, came
from a member Of the Cathedral Chapter at Trier,
an archaeologist named WilmousIy, who had been
intrusted with the duty Of examining the garment.
Several commissions have performed this duty,
the last one only few months ago but unfort-
unately it is impossible from their reports 10
speak explicitly about any feature Of the relic.
WilmOuskys book appeared shortly before his
death, and was confcSsedly written for the sake
of performing a last duty to truth, correcting a
longstanding error, and spreading light concern
ing the costly covering of the sacred relic, the
tunc Of the Saviour, of which the Church at
Trier possesses significant portion"
Prior to Wimousky's time it was claimed that
the relic at Trier was the undivided coat, and
the fact that the Church fathers. in their com
mentarieS lad treated the tunica inconsutilis7
o symbol of the unity and indivisibity of the
Church was frequently adduced by the priests
alleged to be the Holy Coat were spurious. Dr.
Beissel has taken q different line of argument
He admits the genuineness of them all, and urges
that they are either pieces of the true Holy Coat
or other garments worn by Jesus
Professors Gldemeister and Won Sybil had
exhaustively discussed the history of twenty other
Holy Coats-or pieces of Holy Coats-a fact which
gives special significance to the change of base
indicated by Dr. Beissel. The authenticity Of the
Holy Coat at Argenteuil, near Paris had been
certified by Pope Gregory XVI. in 1913; that at
Trier by Pope Leo y in 1915. DR.. Beissel
avoids the difficulty thus raised by showing that
the old documents speak OF the relic at Argenteuil
which has been venerated since the twelfth
century as the true Holy Coat for which the
soldiers cast lots as "Cappa pueri Jesu.' The
"cappa" not the "tunica" 1.-THE Greek Chiffon"
or undergarment of the boy Jesus.
1t is unnecessary TO discuss the fantastic legends
concerning the Holy Coat and how it got to
TTfer. They are as fantastic as the legend that
the city was founded 300 years before Rome by
a son of Minus, the Babylonian king, who, as
opera goers will recall refuses TO remain quiet
in his grave, TO the CONSERVATION of the lorid
soprano Semirams in RoSsinis opera. That
credence was once given to this story is indicated
by the fact that motto proclaiming the fact
sit, picturesque building erected partly in the
fifteenth and partly in the seventeenth centuries.
But they are scarcely more fantastic than the
tradition the truth of which is essential TO prove
the existence of the relic in Trier prior to the
twelfth centuTy-that Helena sent il TO tho city
because Irer was her birthplace. Helena was
not born in Trer, and there is no evidence that
she ever lived here Even the upholders Of the
old tradition can only speculate to where
Helena got the Holy Coat. The tradition con-
Meeting Ter with it says nothing about it's origin.
1t is assumed that she received ii from Con-
stantine, who had presented it, with other relics
Of Jesus Ia portion of His cradle His table, the
cloth with which He dried the feet of His dis
ciples, and parts Of the five oaves ana two fishes
to the Church Of ST. John Lateran in Rome
Doubts were expressed as to the authenticity
of the Holy Coat as early the sixteenth century.
Until the controversy excited by Wilmonskys
book the shape of the relic was supposed 10 be
as indicated in the accompanying reprint OF a
wood-cut -.prnted in Brewers "Annales
TrevirenseS' in 1870
Wilmonsky contended that the garment with
this outward appearance was merely a covering
the real relic which Law 10 lining between