Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1896-04-11
SLAMS HOLY COAT.
Relic Which 10 Exhibited 10 The Faith.
ful Once Every Century.

Relic Which 10 Exhibited TO The Faith.
ful Once Every Century.
The Holy Coat Of Mohamet, which 10
exhibited for the alteration Of the faith.
full once every hundred years, accord.
ing to the tradition was presented by
the Prophet to Yemen dervIsh, Was
ol.Karani, as a token Of gratitude for
his services In discovering the use and
preparation Of coffee, Is kind Of
''chukva," or robe, with flowing
sleeves somewhat similar to Western
dressing gowns, which Ia worn In tho
Levant by those whom foreigners are
accustomed to designate as Turks Of
the old school. It Is needless to add
that It's color Is green--the hue above
all others sacred to the Prophet. The
extent to which the garment IL vene-
rated by all true believers may be esti.
mated by the fact that the principal
and most cherished title of the Sultan
IL that Of "1adum.ul.H aremeen," or
Guardian Of the Holy Relic" The lat.
ter was brought to Constatinople by
Sultan Sellm I, along with the keys Of
the holy cities of Mecca and Medina,
from Cairo, where they had been pre-.
served until that time in the keeping Of
the Callphs. The shrine In which It
was placed by the Sultan Sellm, and
where It has remained ever since un-
I'll this. day, IL within the precincts Of
the Imperial Treasury ut Gulchane.
It was thlther that the present Sultan
Of Turkey betook himself in state re-
Gently. He was seated alone on the
back seat Of his carriage. and facing
him was old Osman Ghaxi Paca, the
hero Of Plevna. Allghting at the Bah
ul.Saida, or Sublime Porte, he, with his
own hands, unlocked, by means Of
massive golden key, the silver grating
or cage which protects the Holy Of Ho.
lies from intrusion by the profane.
With another key Of the same precious
metal, he proceeded to open huge cup.
board or box composed Of the purest
and most massive gold, and to extract
therefrom bundle, which he placed On
silver. table Of great beauty. One by
one the Sultan removed the forty outer
cloths in which the Holy Coat was
wrapped up, until the last but one was
reached. That latter consisted Of some
thin, transparent kind Of gauxe, and ID
left intact; for no mortal eye may be-
hold or human lips touch the sacred rel
ic unshroudcd. Reverently, and with
every token Of the utmost venera ton,
the Sultan bent and kissed the dingy
looking bundle, his example being fol-
lowed by the .ul-Islam, the Grand
vizier and the various chief dlgnitaries
Of the realm, according to their rank.
during which time the verses Of the
KOnn were chanted by the plema.
subsequently all the men withdrew,
and under the guidance Of his High
ness, Yaver Aga, the grand eunuch Of
the imperial seragll0, the valide Sui
tana, or mother Empress, along with
the various wives of the monarch and
princesses Of the family, appeared up
on the scene and likewise paid their re-
spects to the Holy Coat. As soon 40
they had closed their devOtlons and de-
parted. the Sultan carefully wrapped
up the bundle again in tho nine and.
thirty wrappers which he had removed,
after which he replaced It In Its golden
cupboard, locked II, as well as Its silver
cage or grnting, and returned to his pal
ace ut Yildix Kiosk between double
line Of troops, who kept a path open
through the vast multitude Of people
for the imperial procession. In the eve.
ming the Sultan sent to all those who
had been present Mt this ceremony
small white cambria handkerchiefs
with the verses Of the Koran embr0id.
cred on them, which had been specially
consecrlted Mt Mecca for the purpose.
Besides this, splendid presents were
made by the Padishah to the Shlef-ul.
Islam, the primate Of the Turkish
Church, and also to Yaver Aga, coal
black and gigantic negro, who Ia ad-
dressed a. "YOur Highness" and ranks
with the Grand Vizier ana bears the Il.
tie Of "Dar nj Sadr Aghassi," which.
rendered In English, means, "he whose
post Ia behind the door Of the sanctuary
Of bliss" The Grand Vlzier ana the
Ministers also received tokens Of impe.
rial good will In the shape Of jewelry
md deCOra tiOns.-New York Tribune.