Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-11-26

he was thrown into q den Of lions, but
the animals licked his feet. Finally. by
Diocletians orders he was torn limb from
limb. the fragments Of his body were
burned. and the ashes were scattered to
the winds.
The bodies OF several Bohemian saints
are deposited in the cathedral in splendid
tombs, and the most famous of the
kings and warriors of the Bohemian race
are buried there.
Adjoining the cathedral is the Ro-
manisque church Of st. George, a gloomy
looking edifice that dates back to 1142.
Nearby is the monastery OF ST. Loretto,
in the court of which Is copy OF the
house OF St. Joseph and St Anne at Naz-
areth, where Jesus lived when he was
child. and which, according to ira
dition, was transported by invisible hands
through the air from the shores OF Lake
Galilee to the village of Loretto In italy.
It is known as the Casa Santa, and the
reproduction in Prague is SAID to be ex-
act 1t was made by the Capuchin
monks and stands in the center OF the
courtyard OF their monastery.
Valuable Collection Of Jewels.
In the reliquary Of the monastery is q
display OF jewels and ornaments Of gold
which surpasses the crown jewels OF Bo-
hemia and every other collection In the
empire except the imperial treasury at
Vienna. It was founded in the sixteenth
century by Queen Catherine Of Bohemia
and has since been enriched by gifts from
rich Bohemian families. The central piece
is monstrance, or receptacle for tine
consecrated host, in which 1t is presented
for the alteration Of the people, while be-
ing carried in procession. or when ex-
posed upon the altar. This particular
monstrance, which dates back to the
seventeenth century, stands about three
feet high--a slender column encrusted
with precious stones, WHICH supports a
sunburst with rays about eighteen inches
long. II Is said 70 contain $3.50 diamonds
and to be worth $2,OOO.ON. 1t was pre-
scented to the convent by the Countess
Kolovrat more than 2DO years ago. Be
side IT is a crucifiX that is also mass
of diamonds which was presented by
other religious ornaments and utensils OF
| gold and silver and silver gilt, which
are adorned with masses Of Jewels.
This collection, which is valued at mil
lions of dollars. is kept In ordinary
| wooden cabinets on the first floor of q
| monastery with windows opening on the
street, and with no other protection than
| ordinary locks and keys. During the day
| time 1t is guarded by two venerable
| monks: during the night 1t is left to take
! care of itself. l have never seen such
simple indifference to fire, burglars and
other destructive agencies. When one OF
| the mOonkS was questioned about the
! danger of burglary he shrugged his
| shoulders and replied, Gods will be
/ done"
The Story of st. Sophia.
! In chapel, reached through one of the
| cloisters. is a curious effigy of woman
! saint with a long beard called st. Sophia
| and a quaint story is told of her.
| She was princess, the daughter of one
| OF the early kings of Bohemia. equally
/ famous for beauty and piety. A bar
/ barian king asked her hand in marriage
| but she rejected him because he was q
pagan and scoffed at her religion. Hel
! father insisted upon the marriage fol-
| political reasons, but the girl was stead
fast in her refusal. and, in order to pro
| tect herself from the penalty Of her lowell
| ness, she prayed the blessed virgin t
J destroy her beauty In order that 1t nigh
, not attract the passion of wicked men
:, When she awoke the next morning hel
! face was covered with beard which
! continued to grow until 1t covered hel
! breast and of course the pagan kint
| abandoned his suit.
u There are several other nonasteries In
| Prague, and there used to be many more
but they have been suppressed from time
/ to time and the buildings are used fo
public purposes The Teynkirche, tn,
i which is almost as old as the cathedral
having been built in 1870 by the German
residents of Prague. stands in the cente
Of the business section OF the city, and 4
very much admired by artists and archi
tects because of its pointed towers ant
!, graceful turrefs. 1t was there that Johi
Huss preached to enormous congrega
n t{ops and under the hl0h pitched roo