The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1894-07-24
CURED BY A RELIC d?
Wonderful Recovery of Little
Valentine Gebelt,
Able 10 Walk After Visiting 81. lean
Baptiste Church.
Many Pilgrims Said to BE on Their
Way Here.

The annual pilgrimage to the little
church OF ST. Jean Baptiste, In Seventy
sixth street. near Lexington avenue. is
again in progress. This is the novena
of the feast Of 81. Anne. the mother OF
the Virgin Mary.
The novena is. as the name implies, a
nine days preparation preceding
feast, and In this Instance commenced
last Tuesday and viii end Thursday,
when masses will be said every hour
from until II o'clock in the morning.
Rev. Father Gladu. o. NJ. J., OF Mon
treal, also breaches at $50 A. NJ. and
p. M. every day.
1t is only two years since this cult has
sprung up at St. Jeans. and Is quite the
result of chance. 1t happened the Mgr
Marquis OF ST. Anne Beaupre. in Can
ada, stopped for awhile two years ago
at the house OF Father r. Tetreau, the
pastor Of ct. jeans. Mgr. Marquis was
on his way home from Rome, where
he had been TO secure "a portion of the
wrist bone OF st. Anne.
While at Father Tetreau's the mon
sgnor allowed this relic to be exhibited
during certain hours each day. The
church became crowded with worship
pers and te curious, and several
miraculous cures from contact with the
relic were soon reported.
After Mgr. Marquis's departure
Father Tetreau begged the Pope to pre-
relic. This request was complied with.
nnd shortly before the feast OF st.
Anne. Aug. 2, 1882, a piece Of the bone,
about two inches long by 1-2 inches
wide. arrived and was placed on exhibit
ton at the church.
From that day to this the shrine has
been visited daily by hnndr.ds often Ter
blind the halt and the otherwise sick
| or disabled. Now and then sudden cures
we're reported; but the latest. and per
haps most wonderful Of these, is that OF
fcur-year-old Valeltine Gebelt. who lives
| with his parents a. SIS First avenue.
Little Valentine had, 1t IL said. suffer
r,g a long TING from double. spine and
hip disease. and was frequently taken to
the Hospital for Cripples. at Lexington
| avenue and Fortysecond street. There
he was put In braces and furnished with
other. ''''O' ~ '
Although these appliances served to
lessen Valentines pain, his cure seemed
Mrs Gebelt visited St. Anne's shrine,
tie sufferers body with the relic 49,,
fruii NOR did s the Ss second. Su, at the
third visit. towards the end OF Septem-
ber arter kissing the relicuary in
which lay the bone. little Valentine ex-
claimed:
Mamma. 1 feel better now; please
take of the braces" At the same time,
according to those who say they wit
| to free himself from his bandages:
and when these were take Off. they ray
| he stood erect awhile and then began
to walk about.
1t was noticed. however. that the lit
| tie fellow limped very considerably.
| Somebody suggested that this might be
shoes were. accordingly. taken off. and
| ne then walked. 1t is said, with as firm
and even a gait as II his legs had never
| been Of unequal length
! These facts are testified to by grown
persons and children In the neighbor-
hood OF little Valentines home. as well
| as by the priests and nuns attached 10
| the Church OF st, jean Baptiste.
A physician gave II as his opinion
vous malady that simulated double
spine and hip disease, and had become
| whole when the nervous strain was re-
moved This. however, IL regarded by
| others as very unlikely in so young a
child
| 1t In reported that company OF ,o"o
pilgrims Is on Its way to st. Anne's
shrine from great distance. Nothing
| was known OF this at the church.
The new cult has given such promi-
nence to St Jeans that the Marst
| have been enabled to hulid and thor
oughlv equip great school, which they
| call st Anne's Academy, next door TO
the church. II will accommodate sou
| students. and will be open for instruc-
ton some time in September.