San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-09-13

yVTHEN the steamship Homeric of the
w White Star Line arrived in New
York City the other day it carried
in plain wooden box in its hold unique
" sacred. shipment. This was the bones
of st. Christina, a noble Roman maiden
who suffered and died for the Christian
faith almost ZOO years ago.
For centuries the holy relics lay in
: the Gstacombs, that maze of subterranean
4 passages under Rome which had given in
life shelter for their worship to the early
Christians and had held in death the bodies
of many martyrs. There the bones had
been found and beside them the little vial
of blood dried to powder by the years,
which the early Christians always put be-
side those who had died for the Cross.
Two hundred years ago, after the re-
mains had been identified as those of St.
Christina, they were taken from the cata-
combs and enshrined in one of the chapels
of the Vatican. Now they lay within a
glass cabinet carefully packed and pro-
tected within plain oak box five feet
long, four feet wide and three feet high,
e at, except for the unusual sealing and
evr1fng, looked outwardly like any other
packing case.
The arrival of the molly relics, however,
marked an epoch in Catholic history in
America, for the remains are the first of
any early Christian woman saint to be
brought to America.
To Bishop Joseph Schrembs of Cleve-
land goes the honor Of giving the United
States the sacred relics. Through his
efforts were raised funds to the amount
of nearly 100000 for the building of
a museum in which will be placed the
various relics taken from the Catacombs.
school Of early Christian archaeology
whose students will have ready access to
lese objects is also planned.
According to Bishop Schremb's own
ny, il had been an arduous task to
Md a saintcd body which could be
brought here without arousing the ire of
the italian pOpulace. Through three sue
cessiye certificates he had been promised
the remains, his original request being
made in 1913 through Pope Plus X, the
sovereign pOntiff then Teigning. II was
not until January Of this year, however,
that bis request was finally granted, when
Plus XI. sent word that the bishops dream
was at the point Of fUlfillment.
The Cleveland prelate lost very little
time in leading a pilgrimage 70 Rome, and
shortly after his arrival the Pope gave or
'defg for the removal of st. Christmas
bones. y After due time they was prepared
for transportation by being placed in an
artistic reliquary made for the purpose.
When this was ready Bishop Schrembs
had left Rome for a tour Of northern Eu-
rope, and to avoid jOurneying back to the
Italian capital the precious box was placed
il the care Of Bishop Michael Gallagher
Of Detroit one Of the party, who, after
being given a special papal passport,
which insured its passing European Gus
toms officers without their breaking the
Vatican seals, took it to Paris, where he
Joined Bishop Schrembs. The two priests,
with their precious charge, boarded the
steamship HomeriC at Cherbourg on Au-
gust 5.
Vatican passports are not recognized by
the United States, but instructions were
sent 10 local customs officers TO extend
20 the returning Cleveland prelates every
courtesy and TO pass the box containing
the remains Of St. Christina without the
usual search. Diplomatic courtesy was
-anted and the reliquary in which the
mes repose was not opened by the Gus
officials, being allowed TO be taken
% Cleveland.
Chrstea was the daughter Of a rich