Durango semi-weekly herald., 1901-12-19


| genuine by the Roman Catholic
church. 1t was carried at the head
| of the army during the remaining
crusades and. after the fall OF
Jerusalem, was taken to France and
preserved with the crown. the scep-
ter and the sword OF Charlemagne,
first at AK la Chapelle. afterward at
Northumberland and since 1896 in the
imperial treasury at Vienna.
It is the Oldest and most precious
OF all the relics of the Holy Roman
Empire. The spear Is of iron, with
blade shaped like a lancet, and a
hollow socket for the pole. Dur
ing the reign of Emperor Otho the
Great. a narrow slip was made in the
center of the blade. Two explana-
tions are given One is that piece
of the metal was desired as gift TO
the cathedral at Prague, and the
other is that Charles VII. desired to
make it still more holy by inserting
nail said to have been taken from
the cross of Christ. Some of the
accounts state that it is one of the
nails that pierced His hand. In
making the incision, however, the
blade itself was broken and has
since been held together by ligaments
of silver wire and band OF gold
The lance was used as scepter
at the coronation of the rulers of the
Holy Roman Empire for several cen.
turtles.
In the same case, surrounding this
Ia, oh anUaral Dthht
precious relics of the crucifxion, in
Guiding a piece of the holy cross nine
inches long, two inches wide, and
more than an inch in thickness, this
being set in case of gold. Ii is
the largest piece in size except one
preserved in Rome There is also
small remnant OF the tablecloth
used at the last supper piece OF lin
en- of irregular shape, and piece of
coarsely woven linen embroidered
with oriental designs. which is said to
be a part of the napkin with which
Christ wiped the feet of His disci-
pies. The relic is referred to in the
will of Otho ~. in 1918. There is
a fragment of the manger in which
Christ was born, a piece OF oak about
six inches long, preserved in reli-
quarry of gold heavily set with dia-
monds, rubies and pearls; a bone
from the arm of St. Anne, the moth
er of Mary, in tube of gold with
glass coverings at each end, three
links of the chain with which the
Apostles Peter. Paul and John were
fettered, presented to Emperor
II. h,, IIrhan "a
piece of the tunic of the Apostle st.
John; a tooth of John the Baptist. set
in gold and suspended in a crytal
vessel, and large reliquary of gold
in imitation Of the Hebrew taberna-
Gle. embedded with precious stones.
containing the earth that was satur-
ated with the blood OF Stephen, the
first martyr. who was stoned. This
reliQuary belonged to the Emperor
Charlemagne, and has always been
used at the coronations of the Holy
Roman Empire, being placed upon the
altar together with the sword of
Charlemagne and his book of the gos-
pels. upon which the emperors have
taken the oath for centuries.
According to tradition, this copy of
the Scriptures was found upon the
knees of Charlemagne when his tomb
at Aix-la- Chapelle was opened by EN-
peror Otto. The text is perfectly
legible and is written upon leaves of
violet parchment.
The sword of Char1emagne, his
crown and scepter and other arti-
cles said to have belonged to him are
in an adjoining case. The top OF
the scepter is shaped like pine cone
and pierced with holes. 1t was evil
IDENTIFY intended to enclose sponge
saturated with holy water. This
sword is carried before the emperor
upon his coronation, as "Signum
potentiae ct majestatis," and is
now borne in front of his ma
jesty by the grand marshal of the
court at the opening OF the reich
srath and the Hungarian parliament,
The crown of Charlemagne Is one
of the most beautiful examples of the
goldsmith's art in exeistence, and Is
set with innumerable precious stones
of great value, nearly all of them un-
cut, and ornamented with quaint
scriptural designs In colored enamel,
representing the Almighty as He Will
appear on the day of judgment; the
visit of the Prophet Isaiah to King
Hezekiah; King David the Phalmist
| with scroll in his hand; King Solo
mon. and a representation of the
cruciflxion.
Several cases are filled with the
coronation robes and regalia whicf
date back to the twelfth century. ant
we're made by Saracenic artists a
Palermo. where the Emperor Henry