Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-05-05

never recovered. The carving on the out
SIDE or the block represents incidents In
MS life. including representation OF the
oaptism OF Jesus upon the banks Of the
Jordan. This also was brought from
Myra by the crusaders in the eleventh
century, and has been In the Church OF
San Lorenzo for nearly a thousand years.
1t stands upon pedestal at one side Of
very rich chapel built in 1895 especial
~ to contain IL. but its former contents
the dust Of the apostle-are inclosed In
case Of silver adorned with pearls and
deposited in a cavity chiseled in a large
block of marble placed over the altar.
The new casket Is even more beautiful
that the old one, but Is comparatively
modern. having been carved by the most
tury. 1t is opened once a year. on the.
anniversary day Of the saint. and car
ried In procession around the church
with great ceremony. Women are not ad-
mitted to that service nor are they al
tomb and the dust are kept. That Ia
because of the act of Saiome, the daugh-
ter of Herod, who caused st. John to
be beheaded. Men are allowed to enter
the chapel upon the payment Of a franc.
Fragments Are Scattered.
There are several pieces Of the body of
John the Baptist scattered about, and
what are claimed to be his tombs may be
found in several places in the Holy Land.
His skull. and the stone upon which it
is said to have been beheaded, are in
st. Marks Cathedral, Venice. His right
arm. from the elbow to the wrist, is pre-
served in the chapel of the royal palace
at Madrid. His left hand is In the chapel
of the Winter Palace at St. Petersburg
and several of his fingers are in Rome.
But am inclined to think that the cru
saders were sincere and honest in their
Ypfa hrnrf ynf hat f1,oxv
believed to be the genuine thing.
You will remember the circumstances
of his death and the sensation it created
in Herod's camp: John the Baptist had
an enormous following in Judea, Sam
aria and Galilee. The people believed in
him. Herod himself had confidence in
his honesty and admiration for his elo-
quence and personal character. and his
order to behead this popular leader was
given with much reluctance, even when
he was intoxicated with wine and pas
sion. But he did not have the moral
courage to refuse the unexpected request
from the daughter Of his mistress when
she danced before him.
Herod's downfall began from that mo-
ment. and he attributed all his misfor-
tunes to that act. He restored the body
| 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
| immortality 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 pill
grims
The usual incongruity is to be found
here. Think of the tomb of John the Bap-
fist illuminated by electric lights, This
Improvement was introduced in 1897. and
1t is a great advantage to visitors. be-
cause they are thus enabled to see the
| rich carvings Of the chapel. which are
unsurpassed.
Other Famous Relics.
There are several other relics associated
with John the Baptist. including a tray
| called the Plato di Caledonia" which
| has been claimed to be the charger
| upon which the head Of the prophet was,
brought into the banquet hall Of Herod.
This tray Is very old. and, like the other
relics. was brought from the Holy Land
by the crusaders. 1t was kept for time
| In Rome, and then taken to France, and
| finally Pope Innocent VIII presented 1t to
| the Church of San Lorenzo because the
dust of John the Baptist was here
A small glass vessel of crystal, ex-
quisitely carved, is said to contain sew
eral drops OF Jesus blood. It was brought
| from Cesarea In lilo by the crusaders,
and has been in the reliquary of San Lo.
renzo continuously ever since. The priests
In charge do not contend that 1t 10 gen.
when they are questioned about the Pi-
alto di Caledonia. and say. God knows"
The "cross Of Zaecaria'' 10 an exquisite
example OF the goidsmith's art, in BY
zantine style, and heavily embossed with
pearls. diamonds and other precious