The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1923-07-03
BRUCES RESUMES
ODD CELEBRATION
Procession of the Most Sacred
Blood Again Is Held.
CITY OF BELLS AND BRIDGES

brugeS, Belgium, mas just had the
greatest of it's annual celebrations, the
procession of the Most Precious Blood
which, now that the World war is we'll
past, has taken the prominent place in
German occupation caused it's tenn
porary suspension. Of the city of this
procession-one of the leading religious
celebrations of Europa bulletin from
the Washington, d. c., headquarters of
the National Geographic society says !:
IF we are unfamiliar with the Ian
guage of a foreign country we are
likely to accept the names of its cities
as meaning nothing in particular or as
having an esoteric significance which
we can hardly hope to fathom. But
Bruges fools us. Its name has about
as common an origin and is about as
logically descriptive as Three Rivers
or Smiths Crossroads Because the
town from the beginning had numerous
canals and structures carrying streets
across them it was named Gin Flem-
ish) Bridges 1t is sort of reversed
Venice. Whereas the latter is an area
of sea with islands scattered in it,
BrugeS is land area cut into islands
by numerous canals. In both cities
many houses rise sheer from the water
and boats are used for traffic.
Like Venice again, Bruges was once
the commercial and banking center of
the world. This was in the Fourteenth
century. The center Of commercial
activity bad moved from Italy to Elan
ders, and Bruges was then Flanders
greatest market. World trade came up
the river Zwyn which then gave it
harbor; merchants from the four quar-
tiers of the world maintained head
quarters in the city; and it's bourse
regulated the exchange rate for all
Europe. Client was a strcng rival, but
until the Zwyn finally silted up in 1890
Bruges held its own. At the height Of
its power Bruges had a population of
100000; now the inhabitants number
about $4,000.
Had Notorious U-Boat Nest.
mot to be cheated of a port by
Natures destructive forces, the people
IF Bruges have built several canals to
The North sea. The largest and most
lirect leads eight miles to Zebrugge
(meaning the seaport of Bruges)
This port and its canal and the basin
1t Bruges figured prominently In the
World war. The Germans developed a
strong U-boat nest at Bruges from
which their underwater commerce de-
'troyers went out to sink many an
lllied ship and to which they returned
or repairs and QUILTING. A ire
nendously strong shelter with con-
.rete roof six feet thick, built over the |
water, stands near the BrugeS end of |
he sea canal today, a monument to !
German U-boat activities. Allied |
ombing planes were unable to find the |
xact location of this camoufaged nest,
nd probably would have been able to |
nflict but little damage on it's roof |
ven if direct hits had been scored.
he British, however, successfully him
cred the U-boat activities from the
'ruges nest by their famous sortie
gainst the Zebrugge mole when old
hips filed with concrete were sunk
cross the entrance channel to the
anal.
Most Medieval Flemish City.
''Bruges is one of the quaintest of
lie old Flemish cities, and is said to
reserve in it's architecture a more
edieval aspect than any Of its sister
Prominent architec-
anne and the Cathedral of st.
auveur, both excellent examples of
lrly pointed Gothic; and the Market
Ill with It's dominant belfry housing
ctions of chimes in Europe.
"In st. Basile's chapel is kept the
,cred Vial, brought by crusading
Nights from Jerusalem, reputed to
I've been the vessel holding the water /.
It'll which Joseph of Armiathea /.
thed the blood-stained body of Christ
lis reliquary is carried once each
ar in the procession Of the Most
'ecious Blood.
"Bruges has long been noted for it's
)olen cloths. In recognition of the
US prominence in this field in 1880
Hip the Good of Burgundy named
e order which he then created, the
der of the Golden Fleece This has
er since heen one of the most exclu-
re knightly orders"