New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-01-04

curious details, not only OF pilgrims
and pilgrimages, but also about relics
and shrines, routes and inns. and the
material problems Of this early travel
on a large scale. While he is chiefly
concerned with English shrines and
English pilgrimages. he yet gives some
account Of that greatest Of all pious
acts, the visit TO the Holy Sepulchre.
and to the secondary sanctuaries Of ST.
James OF Campostella in Spain, and OF
the Virgins House at Loretta, In Italy.
Relics were the real source of wealth
medieval churches. Under decree
Of the Nicene Council, no churches
could be consecrated without relics. a
decree that has remained in force ever
since in the Roman Catholic Church
The four nails of the Cross were es-
teemed most highly; Mr.. Heath tells
their story. Then there were pieces Of
the cross, the holy coat of Trier, the
thorns of the crown, the scourging
pillar. and. valued hardly less highly,
relics Of the Virgin. After these, and
below them, came relics Of the saints
the supply was apparently as endless
as the demand, for. apart from for
geries without end, there was the logi-
cal theory, given the belief in miracles.
that these wonder working relics could
work the wonder of automatically
multiplying themselves, so that several
| shrines could legitimately claim that
, they possessed, for instance, the same
| bone Of the same saint There was
still more, for, az the relic could not
! be sanity, ii could easily be eXtraor
| binary" like a plume Of the phoenix
presented by the Pope, the mark on
Gains forehead. or the tip OF Lucifer's
tail" The authorities at Rome warned
the faithful at times against impost-
ures, but the superstition OF the
I ignorant masses clamored for gratifica-
ton. The worship Of these wonder
working saints almost eclipsed that Of
| the deity. At the shrine Of Beckett at
Canterbury, the altar Of the saint re-
ceived in one year donations amounting
to over $3.50, while Gods altar was re-
membered only to the extent Of f3
Is. 3d. In the following year not a sin
gle penny was offered at the altar Of
the deity. whereas st. Thomas received
over 1854 For many years the annual
| attendance at this shrine exceeded the
remarkable number Of three hundred
thousand. No wonder that relic hunt
ing was profitable occupation in those
days. The hunters ransacked the
and thoroughly as arch@ologists rifle
the tombs Of the Egyptian kings to-
day. Nay, more:
1t is related OF one Stephen. chanter to
the monastery Of Anglers. that he walked
barefoot through France and Italy all the
| way to Apulia, for the sole purpose of
miraculous power of which had brought
untold wealth TO the abbey of Bari; but
he did not succeed in his attempt
The pilgrims were actuated by mixed
motives. or, rather, their pious purpose
attracted fellow travellers Of different
kinds. Merchants made use Of them ~
sort of sanity convoy for their mer-
chandise. early globe trotters took adj
vantage Of the facilities offered them.
restless workingmen in search Of new
scenes accompanied them, and, when
it came to pilgrimages abroad. snug
glers brought their wares into England
under the cloak of holiness. To these
were added, in later days, holiday
makers. singers. dancers and camp fol-
lowers, a motley throng Of parasites
and entertainers. There-was. also, j
commercial side to the matter, q most
important one to medieval English
ship owners, as may be seen from the
fact that traveller in the fourteenth
century saw in the harbor of Coruna
eighty shiploads Of pilgrims, of which
vessels thirty were from England BY
| law Of Edward III. English pilgrims
J were compelled to embark and return