Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-14
CITY RICH IN RELICS.
Genoa an Interesting Place to
the Antiquarian.
HAS THE HOLY GRAIL
THE SUPPOSED TOMB OF JOHN
THE BAPTIST.
Centuries oi1 Controversy Over the So
Called Shroud Of Christ-The
Chief Disputants.
BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS.

BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS.
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star and
Chicago Record Herald.
GENOA, December 4, 1903.
Genoa has no cathedral and is singularfy
lacking in fine churches, but is rich in re-
ligious relics. The Church of San Lorenzo
Is famous for containing the remains of
John the Baptist and possessing the holy
grail, the cup from which Christ and His
disciples drank at the last supper, and
which was SO long and SO eagerly sought
for and fought for by King Arthur and his
Knights of the Round Table and other
heroes of the crusades. Tennyson and
Lowell tell the story in better words than
I can frame.
The cup, which was supposed to be a
solid emerald, about four inches high and
holding the contents of an ordinary claret
glass. was finally found at Caesarea. on the
coast of Palestine, by brave Knight Tenn
piar and brought to Genoa, where 1t was
intrusted to the charge of the local chapter
OF Templars, and, upon it's dissolution, was
deposited In the reliquary of San Lorenzo.
Napoleon stole 1t, as he did so many other
valuable and interesting articles, such as
the Columbus autographs that 1 wrote you
about yesterday, and carried it to Paris,
where 1t was exhibited in the secular mu-
scum of the Louvre among ordinary arti-
cles, to the horror and scandal of the
church, being considered one of the most
sacred objects in existence. The spear that
pierced the Savior's side and the handker-
chief with which st. Veronica wiped His
perspiring face as He staggered under the
weight of the cross are not more precious.
While 1t was In Paris the holy grail was
broken. and 1t was then discovered that it
is made of ordinary glass. A piece that
was knocked out of the cup is still kept in
the Louvre, and the mutilated goblet was
returned to Genoa In 1923.
This is one of the few holy relics of the
Savior which has the formal sanction of the
sovereign pontif and the college of cardi-
nails and is also supported by historic evil
dence
Tomb of John the Baptist.
What Is supposed to be the original tomb
OF John the Baptist is a beautifully carved
sarcophagus of alabaster about four feet
long, two feet wide and eighteen inches
high. 1t seems too short to be used for a
coffin, but it is explained that the prophet
was man of small stature and that his
mead was not recovered. The carving on
the outside Of the block represents incidents
In the life of the forerunner of Christ. in
GUIDING representation of the baptism OF
Jesus upon the banks of the Jordan
This also was brought from Palestine NV
the crusaders and has been in the church
of San Lorenzo for a thousand years. II
stands upon a pedestal at one side of the
chapel built especially to contain 1t, but its
former contents, the dust Of the apostle, are
fnclosed in case of lead and deposited in
cavity chiseled in large block of marble
placed over the altar. The new casket is
even more beautiful than the old one. but
Is comparatively modern, having been cary
ed by the most famous sculptor of the sew
enteenth century 1t is opened once a year
on the anniversary day of the saint and
carried in procession around the church
with great ceremony. Women are not adj
mitted to that service, nor are they allowed
to enter the chapel in which the tomb and
the dust are kept. That Is because of the
act of Salome. the daughter of Herod who
caused st. John to be beheaded Men are
allowed to enter the chapel upon the pay
ment Of franc.
Herod's Downfall.
You will remember the circumstances of
his death and the sensa ton 1t created in
Herods camp. John the Baptist had an
enormous following In Judea. Samaria and
Galilee. The people believed In him. Herod
himself had confidence in his honesty and
admiration for his eloquence and personal
character, and his order to behead this
popular leader was given with much reluc-
lance, even when he was intoxicated with
wine and passion. But he did not have the
moral courage to refuse the unexpected re-
quest from the daughter or his mistress
when she danced before him.
Herod's downfall began from that mo-
ment, and he attributed all his mis-
fortunes to that act. He restored the body
TO the friends of the saint and they buried
1t somewhere in the Valley of the Jordan.
but according to tradition the head was not
restored. Salome took 1t to her mother,
who hated the prophet because he had pub
lfcly denounced her immortality, her infideIi-
ty and her relations with the king. The
ruins OF the church In which the remains
were first buried are still to be seen and are
visited by many pilgrims.
There are several other interesting objects
in the old church. among them seat in
the chapel at one time occupied by Paga-
mini, the great violinist, who was a native
OF Genoa and sang in the choir OF this
church. His name Is carved upon It. and
over 1t there is a tablet of mosaic
A Controversy Of Centuries
There has recently been an animated
discussion between Catholic antiquarians
and historians concerning the so-called
shroud of Christ. now in the cathedral at
Turin. which was exhibited to the public
as genuine in May. 1898. by the authori-
cation of King Hunbert. 1t Is the property
of the house of Savoy and has been its
palladium for several centuries but has
never received the sanction of the holy see.
On the contrary. 1t has been several times
condemned by high ecclesiastical authority
as an imposture. Its exhibition has been
forbidden again and again nv the arch.