Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1891-08-19
Will See the Holy Coat.

The pilgrimage of Americans to Eu-
rope to look upon the holy coat of
Treves has begun. That is a long jour
ney to look upon relic. But this is an
extraordinary relic-the most sacred in
the keeping of the Catholic Church.
To be sure certain ecciesiastics have
discredited it's authenticity. But the
mass of people in the Catholic Church
believe it is the garment the Savior
wore.
| When the announcement was made
that the coat would be on exhibition
| this year it aroused much interest
among good Catholics in America. AL
most directly plans for pilgrimage were
arranged The first to go left on the
steamer Friesland, of the Red Star line,
which sailed for Antwerp last Tuesday
Very old and famous is the City OF
| Treves. in Rhenish Russia. 1t lies on
the right bank of the Moselle. ruin Of
| former magnificence. In Treves are
| found the finest specimens of Roman
esque architecture. Very splendid is
| the cathedral. A hundred years ago
| the city library contained 100000 vol
| umes. But the city is celebrated above
| all other things because in it's treasured
| the Holy Coat, which has received the
most devout veneration from all good
| Catholics.
It was st. Helena who gave the coat
to the city. 1t is said she was born in
Colchester, England, late in the third
century. She did not accept Christian
| ity until she was eighteen. Then her
zeal was extraordinary. Her pilgrim
age to Palestine in the fourth century
is famous event in the history of the
Catholic Church. The object was to
secure the cross upon which the Saviour
was crucifed.
| She found three crosses. The holy
one was distinguished because it was
said mere touch healed a helpless
invalid. While searching for the cross
st. Helena found the coat, the seamless
coat. She secured what was considered
positive proof that the Saviour had
worn the garment just before cruel
/ fixion.
When st. Helena returned to Europe
! she spent many years in Treves, which
was then famous religious centre.
| She presented the coat to the cathedral.
The first mention made Of the coat
was in the fourth century. 1t appears
| in the Costa T'rerirOrOm. For centuries
after that it was exhibited regularly
The Bishop of Bruno was consecrated
in it in 1121. In 1896 it was translated
from the chair to the high altar Of the
| cathedral.
Then came the wars Of the Middle
Ages. In order to preserve the coat it
was placed in the castle of Ehrenbreut-
stein There it remained for centuries,
safely hidden away. In 1910, with the
permission of Napoleon, the Bishop OF
Treves and Mgr. Mannay had it brought
back TO the cathedral.
1t was made religious festival.
When it was placed upon exhibition
100000 people focked to see it. 1t was
exhibited every seven years until 18Th.
That year its exhibition was one of the
greatest religious excitement. Eleven
bishops and over two millions of the
laity flocked to the city between August
| IS and October g. There were 5000
from the United States.
For a number of years petitions have
! been made to the government asking
| for permission to exhibit the Holy Coat.
| Hitherto it has been refused. Now it is
expected that there will be tremen-
dous movement to Treves. 1t is said
that 100000 will go from America. On
the Friesland 1872 sailed.