The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1900-08-18

HELENA
RELIC OF ST. LEO, MARTYR, TC
BE PLACED IN THE SACRED
HEART CATHEDRAL.


Correspondence Intermountain Catholic.)
Helena, Mont, Aug. 14.-On Friday,
Aug 10, arrived direct from Rome the
remains of st. Leo, martyr, boy u
years old who shed his blood for the
faith during the early stages of Chris
tianity, and whose remains were eX-
tracted from the Catacombs OF Rome
in the beginning of the eighteenth CEN
tury. Marked on the grave was the IN
scription: st. Leo, Martyr, Age Il
Years
The remains of the almost infant
Saint were extracted by the Guardian
of Holy Relics appointed by the Pope.
At that time his relics were donated to
the Cistercian Nuns of Anagini. When
our beloved Bishop, Rt. Rev. John b.
Brondel, was in Rome last January
through his ceaseless and unlimited en-
deavors he succeeded in obtaining the
sacred relics of this sDotless young
Saint from the Bishop of this place,
who had special facilities to that et-
feet from Pope Leo XIII, Monslgnor
Guiei, a brother of Father Guiei, we'll
known in Montana, is the one who
took charge of preparing the shrine and
had the remains properly shipped TO
Helena, where they arrived on the
Feast of st. Lawrence, Aug. TO- The
urn with the remains was received IN
tact, Notwithstanding the great dis
tance from Rome to Montana.
Six Priests were present with the
Bishop when the remains arrived, and
they were honorably placed in the
Episcopal residence, awaiting such ar
rangements as will be made in the fu-
ture to locate the same in the Cathedral
Church. At the close of the Priests re-
treat. which takes place next week, it
is planned to have the remains of St
Leo removed from the Episcopal resi-
dence to the Cathedral Church at twi-
light. There will be twenty-eight
Priests present at. the solemn SER
vices. 7...s
Bishop Brondel is very much pleased
over the arrival of the Saints remains
in such excellent, Condition, and says
he wishes to have st. Leo the patron
Saint for the boys and girls of this
diocese, especially ahe young boys. and
he further hopes, through the powerful
intercession of St, Leo that Christian
education will spread and flourish all
over the land, and the young people
will ever look tobdhic glorious young
Saint as a model TO which they should
all aspire, and as a holy incentive to
urge them on to higher aims and nobler
deeds for Gods greater glory and their
own salvation.
On Aug II the Bishop announced to
the congregation the safe arrival of
the remains, which were most devoted
ly viewed by the deFout members of the.
congregation. The shrine which en-
closes the sacred remains is of glass,
mounted in gold, with blue lapis lazuli
and gold trimmings. A vessel reposes in
one corner of the shrine, resembling
chalice. which contains glass sprink-
led with the blood of the martyr.
Through this golden vessel there is an
opening, where can easily be perceived
the dark red spots of blood, which the
heroic young martyr willingly shed for
the glorious and unmstakable faith of
our Holy Church.
The life-like figure represents the
youth dressed in the habiliments with
all the grandeur and embellishments OF
a Roman youth of high rank. The head
is surrounded by an aureola of sanctlty
and in the forehead is the mark OF the
wound he received when his soul went
forth to receive the crown of martyr
dom from his Eternal Father in heaven.
The figure in wax rests on the skeie-
ton extracted from the Catacomps, ana
has an angelic, most resigned ana
neaceful expression. The work on the
figure is perfection in the highest de-
gree. and shows no small amount OIL
artistic skill thoroughly displayed On
the urn is marked the chronogram III
Greek, which represents Christ, ana on
either side of the chronogram are Two
nalm branches, raised in gold, the en-
blem of Christian victory. In front, In
plain view, is to be seen the hgure Oh
an angel, also in raised gold. on the
lower part of the shrine are marked
the words, "Sanctus Leo" The only
noticeable result of the long Journey,
and one which does not materially de-
tract from the appearance of the saint
is the palm branch which was tightly
clasped in one. hand. in the transpor-
tation it has fallen by his side 1t can,
however, be replaced without much SER
ious difficulty
Announcement will be made Sunday
as to the possible time the services in
with placing the remains in
the Church will take place.
Kneeling in the hallowed and sacred
presence of the remains of one whose
pure life's blood was willingly sacri-
feed on the altar of martyrdom the
soul seems to take fight above all
earthly strife and the rapturous gaze is
augmented and exhilarated by the
thought of such a deed of faith and
love. The ecstacies of the soul knows
no bounds, and the human heart cannot
find words in which sufficient express
sion to the feelings could be given. At
this moment my description seems
vague, and my pen utterly refuses to
move. In the midst of such a scene
one can almost picture the ancient hills
of Rome with the lofty spire of st. Pet
ers pointing heavenword in the dis
tance, and can see the bright illumined
light of Christianity rejecting over
ever quarter of the globe from the
head of knowledge, the Eter-
nal CitV F,Otwinad with tba tbone,h4c