The San Francisco call., 1909-12-26
By Bertha H. Smith

are kept three or the most sacred
relics Of Christendom.
These are:
A robe of the Virgin Mary.
The swaddIing clothes in which the
infant Christ was wrapped in the first
hour Of his birth,
The linen which girded the Ioins Of
the Christ when he was nailed to the
cross.
Less sacred than these three relics,
yet guarded with the same jealous care
in a room built as a shrine for their
safe keeping, is a fourth-the towel in
which the head Of John the Baptist was
wrapped after il was severed from his
body at the wish Of the passion crazed
SaIome.
once in seven years these holiest OF
holy relics are exhibited to the people,
and Aix-la-Chapelle becomes a mecca
10 thousands OF pious pilgrims. This
was the seventh year and during the
second and third weeks of July believ-
ers and nonbelievers fiocked to the
famous old cathedral TO fOrtify their
faith or crafty their curiosity as the
case might be.
It IS a historic old church, this cathe-
dral Of Aix-la-Chapelle, or Aachen, as
The Germans call it As at most other
places where there are healing hot
Eprings in Europe, the Romans left
traces Of their occupation of the city.
But Aix-la-Chapelle is even more
famous as the favorite resort of Charlie
magne, who built the octagonal nave
OF the cathedral between 79e and So4
. The rest OF it was added 500 years
later.
There is a legend that the builders
OF the church entered into contract
with the devil, who agreed to help them
build it on condition that he be given
IN return the first living creature that
eLtered the church after its compile
tion. The legend does not accuse
Charlemagne himself Of having thus
traficked with his majesty of the in
fcrnal regions, but there was certainly
z clever brain at the mundane end Of
the bargain, for. when the church was
completed and there was the devil TO
pay for his share in the work, the
builders Ioosed a wolf at the door. And
the devil found himself outwitted be-
cause he had failed to ask for a human
soul And just within the entrance Of
the church there stands today an efigy
OF the wolf that went TO the devil as a
reward for his services.
Under the floor Of the part Of the ca
thedral that he built the remains Of
Charlemagne were buried and the tomb
IS marked by the words "Carolo Mag
no" When, nearly two centuries after
his death, the tomb was opened the
dead emperor was found seated in state
IN a marble throne, his iron crown
upon his head. Those who opened the
tomb must have thought he had relgned
there long enough, for they took him
of his throne, which they brought up
into the cathedral, where it was used
as e coronation chair for the 81 German
kings and u queens who have since
been crowned there.
Today, however, the tomb of Charlie
rnagne is held sacred. Above the spot
where his dust lies on the last day OF
the exhibition of the "grande reliQues"
q tribune IS erected and here the arch
bishop stands and holds out 10 the gaze
Of all who can crowd into the church
the four holy garments, which are then
carried in solemn procession around the
aisIes Of the church among the kneel-
ing multitude
This last day is a great fete day in
Aix-la-ChapeIle. For two weeks people
have poured into the city by thousands
and have been admitted for small fee
TO the treasury. where in a magnificent
gold shrine the relies repose. On the
last Sunday the chest containing the
relies is carried in grand procession
through the streets, which are gayly
decorated with flags.
During the morning OF this last day
the robe and the three pieces Of linen
are displayed from the balconies OF the
cathedral by dignitaries of the church
IN ceremonial robes
After going through the great gal
leries Of Europe one rather naturally
expects TO find the Virgins robe made
Of some red or blue stun, as the master
PAINTERS by common consent have
dressed her in these two colors. So
81 is something Of a surprise to find
the robe ecru in color and Of linen
as coarse as toweling. The pieces
shown as the swaddling clothes, the
Ioin cloth and the wrappings for John
the Baptist's head are also of very
coarse linen, very dark in color. They
are neatly folded and tied with broad
bands, which are never opened.
The Virgins robe has the simple
lines Of a kimono. though the sleeves
are small. and is long enough for a
woman OF medium height After being
shown from the balconies the relics
are laid IN the chest covered with red
silk and clamped with brass, which
during the seven years rests IN the
eplendid gold shrine in the treasury.
or his day. however, the chest is car
red uncovered through the streets
Long before the hour for the pro-
oeesion the flag hung streets are lined
with people and seats on tribunes and
sn windows and ooorways are sold
readily and always at a premium TO
the stray American. 70 the amusement
Of French and German. who have the
next seat at half the price Even so,
the price is not high for place in the