Los Angeles herald., 1891-08-21
THE HOLY COAT.
Thousands of Pilgrims View tho Sacred
Relic.

BERLIN, August 20.-The holy coat
was exposed to view this morning in the
cathedral at Treves. Two knights ol
Malta, in full costume, with drawn
swords, stood on either side Of the
shrine enclosing the case which was sur.
rounded by lighted candles and sur
mounted by large gold cross. The Ca
thedral was richly decorated and packed
to the doors with people. There was an
impressive scene in the sanctuary, over
100 priests assisting in the ceremonies,
which were grand in the extreme.
After an address by Bishop Korum,
the nave of the cathedral was cleared to
enable the municipal authorities and
parochial societies to march to the shrine
and venerate the relic. Then came pill
grims and tourists. The scene was a
motley one. The unveiling Of the relic
made deeply devotional impression on
the crowd of worshippers. Many were
overpowered by their feelings and sew
eral women tainted. AS the procession
passed the shrine, most of the pilgrims
handed rosary or cruciix to the priests
for contact with the relic.
Outside the cathedral was busy
scene, to which professions with ban
ners and music, throngs of visitors, etc., !,
all contributed. During the whole time
the holy coat is on exhibition, twenty
excursions day will arrive at Treves.
In order that the town may not be over
crowded, the different bands of pilgrims,
led by their priests, will be permit
ted to remain only one night in the
town. Pictures of the holy coat are to
be seen, not only in every shop window,
but there are millions of representa-
tions in all sizes, on handkerchiefs, pa
per, earthenware, wood and metal. The
photographs are merely reproductions
OF the drawings published in 1874.
Much comment has been caused by
the, remarks of Bishop Korum in the
opening address today, when he referred
pointedly to the spiritual significance of
the holy coat, as being seamless ves-
ture and symbol of unity of the Catholic
church. There were many OF
the Roman Catholic members
of the reichstag present, and
it is said the bishop particularly ad-
dressed his remarks to those members.
The first solemn exhibition of the
coat was in 1896, when it was placed un-
der the new altar. There it rested till
1911, when Emperor Macmillan wished
it to be exhibited, and it was
| done. 1t was shown several
times again during that century, and
also in 1885. In the latter part of the
seventeenth century, when the French,
under Louis XIV invaded Germany, the
precious relic WAS hidden in the fortress
Of Ehrenbreitein, where it was kept
until after the seven years. war. After
it's last exhibition there, in 1855, it was
brought back to Treves, but few years
later had to be removed into the inte.
rior of Germany. When Napoleon in.
vaded the country in 1910 he permitted
another solemn exhibition, but ex-
pressly forbade miracles to be per-
formed, yet the report of that time says
gouty patients who were wheeled up
walked away at once. The Treves news
papers are full of the accounts Of mira
cles which took place at the exhibition
i of 1874.
At 10 O'Clock tonight pilgrims were
still filing in to behold the relic, and an
eaper throng was bssieging the doors ol
the cathedral. The police had some
trouble to preserve order. The whole
town is in a commotion. Pick-pockets
are rampant and several have been ar
rested.