The Concordia sentinel. (Vidalia, Concordia Parish, La.) 1882-current, 1920-12-11
CHURCH. oFHe Holy JeoMlchG1|

came queen of England as she had been of
France.
Many tales are told of the ghosts domiciliated
in the vicnage of the Holy Sepulcher; in particu-
lar, of the disembodied spirits of the high per-
sOnages buried there. Among them are Godfrey
of BOuillOn and his brother Baldwin with whom
certain Brother John, for long years a fixture
of the church, reputed to hold regular
verse Haunting the receptacles of their mortal
remains he heard talking with shadows and
receiving answer in supernatural voices.
Brother John made himself useful. too in a
more positive fashion. Going the rounds in the
garb of a Franciscan frlar-for though belong
ing to a regning house, he had renounced the
world and its yanities-he removed the coats of
arms and the inscribed tablets left behind by vain
glorious pilgrims to bear witness that they actu
ally had been there as modern tourists deface
things Of beauty or sancity with their uninterest-
ing names. Brother John averred that his vol
untary task sanctioned by permit from both
the pope and the emperor After his death the
Turkish authorities continued to police the
shrine, exercising a strict supervision over the
worshipers of all denominations that focked to
the scene of his whilom labors for it was Gods
decree proclaimed divine of the fourteenth CEN
fury, that the Holy Sepulcher should belong to
the lnfdels until the Christians were altogether
siness.
Though as yet that desideratum has not been
places of the Holy Land, is once more in Chris
tan hands From the Jewish and Mahommedan
points of view the Holy of Holes in Jerusalem is
the inclosed space where Soomons temple stood
on the site now occupied by the Dome of the
Rock and the Jami' el-Aqsa Distant House of
Prayer on the mount of Abrahams and Davids
sacrifices. With its lattced screens of ebony, it's
brocaded curtains, its stained glass and mosaics
in their somewhat faded glory, the Dome of the
Rock stands in the solitude of the sacred precinct
like one of those palaces hewn of single opal
or turquoise we read of in oriental fairy tales.
Approaching it. the Moslem pilgrim has to OBJ
serve strict ceremonial AS he enters he puts
his right foot forward, begging pardon for his
sins and invoking Gods mercy. Walking round
the Rock, he must keep it or his right hand, re-
versing the process followed when making the
circuit of the Kaaba at Mecca. Before proceed
ing TO the cave underneath he must probe bis
heart and strive for humility of spirit. uttering
the prayer of Solomon: 20 God, forgive those
that have sinned and relieve the injured"
Mary's Prayer Niche.
Not far away is a small building which con-
tains recess revered as Marys prayer niche
where the Virgin Mother is supposed to have sat
devoutly rocking the cradle of her infant son.
Here the MOslem pilgrim recites the chapter of
the Koran entitled Miriam because it gives an
account of several circumstances relating 10 the
most pous and obedent of the four perfect wom-
en-
Close to the so-called WOmen's Mosque. a side
s entrance to paradise opens in the Well of the
Leaf This was discovered, during the Caphate
of Omar. by man of the Banu Tamin who, climb