New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-06-04

who at once bent and kissed the hand Of her
mother, the latter in turn embracing the girl in
the most affectionate manner. On asking for
an explanation Of this little episode, was in
formed that it was the invariable custom OF
Polish mothers to boz the ears Of their daugh-
ters on the day Of the latters' marriage so that
IL later on the union turned out unhappily the
girl might have a valid pretext for demanding
the annulment OF her union by the Church on
the ground that she had been forced TO marry
against her will by her mother.
There are several other causes for which &C.
clesiastical annulment Of marriage is granted
They are. however rarely invoked nowadays
as to render anything more than passing men
ton super1uous. They mostly date from the
Council Of Trent. and relate to a condition OF
affairs which does not exist in these modern
times. Thus annulment OF marriage was au-
thorized by the Council in cases where person
married a slave believing him or her to be free
Then too. annument Of marriage was sane
toned by this same Council in instances where
a person intended to marry one person and had
been deceived by another person being put in
her or his place. such as in the case OF Lean
and Jacob Yet another cause for annulment IS
whore a Roman Catholic had married an inhdel
that is TO say Turkish or Buddhist woman
without the latter having been previously pap
tzed: while if ii can be shown that marriage
has been preceded by the killing either In duel
or through assassination of the first husband or
former wife of either Of the parties. then the
union will be dissolved by the Catholic Church
LIMITED NUMBER or APPLICATIONS.
The number of marriages thus annulled by the
Roman Catholic Church averages three dozen to
four dozen a year, and the statements which
have been circulated TO the effect that they
mount UP TO an annual total Of over a thousand
are altogether false The largest number Of
demands comes from Austrian Russian and
Prussian Poland which Is not astonishing after
the little anecdote related above. There are
three tribunals at Rome which deal with these
applications for annulment Of marriage. The
ordinary court is the Congregation Of the COun-
ell: the CONGREGATION OF the Propaganda takes
cognizance of cases which occur in the countries
subject to its jurisdiction, such as for instance,
the United States and the Congregation of the
Holy Office considers certain exceptional cases
specially referred TO it by the Pope.
There is a general impression that the fees
charged for these tribunals are enormous. This
is not the case Neither the Propaganda nor
yet the Holy Office charges a single cent while
the costs Of the Congregation Of the Council are
limited to 81 to the copyist who writes out the
decree. and 81 10 to the secretary's office, while
$50 is charged for printing expenses. The aver
age fees Of the ecclesiastical lawyers 10 whom is
intr1lsted the presentation II the before the
Congregation which | need hardly add is COM
posed of cardinals amounts 20 500. The print
ing expenses are readily assumed by the Vatican
ita.If in cases where the applicants cannot af-
ford the expense Of the trial the work Of coun-
sci in these instances being done without re-
enumeration by the cousultors OF the Congrega-
ton a body Of distinguished ecclesiastics chosen
from the ranks Of the regular and secular
clergy, whose names may be found in any IF the
official ANIMALS of the Roman Catholic Church,