The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-09-11
THE 7REvES PILGRIMAGE.
The Opening Ceremonies in the
Celebrated Town Said to Be
Very Impressive.
The Number Of Pilgrims Largely
Exceed Expectations and There
Is Much Discomfort.
A Guard Composed OF Knights Of Malta
Over q Hundred Priests Assist at
Mass-Anothsr Holy Coat.

A Treves dispatch says that the receipts
from the pilgrims who have como to view
the holy coat exceed expectations. A large
portion of the money is to be retained for
tho repairing of the cathedral. The pill
grims have to undergo irritating hardships
during their stay in the city. The weather
is so warm that living in tho ordinary man
nsr would be sufficiently uncomfortable.
but ii is made much more 80 by the way in
which people are crowded together. Two
or three beds in one small room il the rule,
but in some cases it is much worse. one
landlady having crowded nineteen beds in
to three moderately sized rooms. For &C
commodation of this kind the charge is
four marks a night. Food is about three
times she usual price. In order to facilitate
the exhibition the papal order that every
pilgrim is to say Ave pater nosters before
ths relic has bssn altered by the bishop, so
that now each pilgrim may say them dur
ing his procession through the cathedral.
While the relic is exhibited it ia guarded
in it's shrine by knights Of Malta In scarlet
uniforms and with drawn swords. Two
priests were alao in attendance to receive
from the pilgrims the objects with which
t0ey uoslre0 10 bo0CH tHe Rhrmonb
in order that they might
have its miracle working virtues i'm
parted to them. This is done by two holes
made in the back of the shrine. The two
opening ceremonies connected with the cel-
ebration were very impressive.
The cathedral, which generally prosentsa
somewhat bare appearance, was richly dec
Grated. and WAS thronged with pilgrims
from all parts. The guard of honor was
composed of a body of the knights of Malta,
of whom each member il q scion Of the an
Gent German Catholic nobility. Over a
hundred priests assisted at the pontitical
high mass which followed the unwilling and
veneration of the relic. The choir had also
been greatly augmented for the occasion,
and the white SUPPLIES of the throng of
singers presented an effective contrast to the
gorgeous vsstments of officiating clergy
INF the scarlet uniforms Of the knights Of
Malta. They sang music written for the
ceremony of the exhibition of the holy
coat in the seventh century. At the CON
clusion of the ceremony the Yhito silk cur
tain was drawn aside and the garment ex-
posed to view on q gold embroidered cush-
ion.
The address of DR.. Korum, Bishop Of
Treves, which was listened to with breath
less interest, urged all the faithful to unite
in generating the garment Of the Saviour,
from which proceeded power and virtue.
The right reverend prslats dwelt upon the
spiritual significance of the seamless vest
ure, which was a symbol of the unity Of
the Catholic church. Among the numer-
Gus scclssiastical diRnitaries present were
DR.. llslsy, Roman Catholic bishop of
Birmingham, and the bishop of Luxem-
burg. The ceremony WAS also attended by
several Catholic mombers of the reic hstag.
including Hsrrcn Won schorlemer, Alst and
Won Heereman. The holy coat was dis
tinctly visible from tho body of the church.
The discussion which has arisen as to the
authenticity Of the garment, as we'll az that