The Holy Coat of Treves.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 5091, 29 September 1891, Page 4

The Holy Coat of Treves.

Bishop Kortim, assisted by 100 clergymen anil the Mayor, h:ul the wall .it the rear of the altar broken open on August sth, and the Holy Coat was taken out by them and declared to be intact. It was then enclosed in the treasury of the church. The entire city is in a state of great excitement, and the enthusiasm is intense. Seven hundred new houses of entertainment have been opened for the benefit of pilgrims, and 100 new policemen have token the oath of office in view of the large crowds which are expected. In the year 1844, when there were no railways, when the pilgrimage to the Holy Coat was more like an act of pen-ince, and was undertaken by believers rather than sightseers, 1,200,000 souls visited Treves. This year the excursion trains, will it is expected, carry about 4,000,000. Even from America three steamers arc on the way, each with 000 pilgrims, bound for Treves. About 20 excursion trains will arrive each day during the exhibition of the Holy Coat, and a special station has been built to accommodate the pilgrims. The bands of pilgrims, led by priests, will only be permitted to remain one night in the town. Arriving one evening, they ■will march the next morning in procession to the church. Nearly 500 citizens of Treves have sonfc in petitions for a license to keep inns and public-houses, and nearly every private householder is making arrangements for receiving visitors during the six weeks of the exhibition. The town administration is doing its best to increase the means of communication during this time. Extra tramway lines are being laid, and there -will be a market every day. Even in Berlin the influence of the celebration is felt. Pictures of the Holy Coat are to be seen in every shop •window; millions of these representations, in all shapes and sizes, on paper, on handkerchiefs, and on china, have been produced and rapidly sold. If the Catholic world attributes much to the importance of this eveut, the rest of the nation looks

oil rather coolly at all the preparations. Everywhere one hears the people talking about the "nonsense" in Treves and shrugging their shoulders.