The Mystery of the Crown of Thorns by a Passionist Father part 50.

ADVANTAGES TO BE DERIVED FROM THIS DEVOTION

Through the thorny crown of Jesus' head To glory's diadem we are led.—St. Jerome

There is a considerable number of Catholics who refuse to practice devotional exercises, unless they are enticed by a list of indulgences. Indulgences are without doubt desirable spiritual advantages, which we should all be eager to obtain whenever we can. But we should not mistake the means for the end of a Christian devotion. Many Catholics speak and act in relation to indulgences as if these were the principal end of their practices of devotion. But we should in our pious exercises consider the honor and glory of God of higher importance than our own personal advantage. We should not behave like hired servants, who refuse to work for a master except wages are bargained for beforehand. We should not act as selfish little children, who neglect a task imposed on them by their parents or teachers, except some sweetmeats or a premium is promised them. Obedience to paternal authority, and the gratification which good and docile children will give to their parents and teachers by their virtuous conduct, should be their sweetest and most precious inducement in the accomplishment of their duties and the manifestation of their filial affection. Those children who study to please their parents through disinterested motives of filial love, surely deserve greater praise and a richer reward than those who act only through selfish interest and personal gratification.

The same principle is sound in relation to our devotional practices towards God. Let us by all means try to gain as many indulgences as we can. But we should not make them the inseparable condition and much less, the principal object of all our devotional exercises. Let us be more generous and noble in the service of God. Love should be our noblest motive, and His divine honor and glory our highest ambition. With St. Ignatius Loyola, let us often say, and always act, For the greater glory of God. "If when you perform any good work agreeable to God," St. John Chrysostom says, you expect any other reward, you show that you do not understand how good it is to please him. Did you comprehend the sublimity and excellence of this privilege, you could never reckon any other reward equal in value to that of pleasing the infinite Majesty of God. (De comp. Cordis ad Stellam, lib. 2.) The sweetest happiness and highest reward of the angels and saints in heaven is their perfect knowledge that they are pleasing, praising and glorifying God. These maxims are not less true because they are sublime and little appreciated in practice. Let us remember that true devotion must have God, and not man, for its principal object and final end. For true devotion, according to the angelic doctor, St. Thomas of Aquin, is an habitual disposition of the will that makes us prompt and cheerful in everything that tends to the service, honor and glory of God. We should never suspect that God will ever allow Himself to be outdone in loving generosity. The less we seek ourselves in the service of God, the more abundant reward we shall receive from Him, "who is our reward exceeding great."

1. This should in a more special manner be our rule in all our devotional exercises relative to the sacred Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ. This Divine Victim of charity did not seek himself in the sufferings and humiliations of his bitter Passion, but, on the contrary, he completely sacrificed everything to the honor and glory of his heavenly Father, and for the redemption, salvation and glorification of our soul. "Because with the Lord, there is mercy, and with him plentiful redemption." (Ps. 129:7) The promotion, then, of the honor and glory of God will be the first and best fruit of our devotion to the Crown of Thorns.

2. The second and next to it will be an increase of loving compassion for our dear Savior crowned with thorns and saturated with opprobrium for our sake.

3. The third will be an increase of true Christian respect and genuine obedience to all our legitimate superiors but more especially to the Supreme Pontiff, the infallible, Vicar of Jesus Christ, the visible head of the Church upon earth, the first and highest ecclesiastical authority, the unerring teacher of mankind, so impiously misrepresented, so maliciously persecuted and oppressed in these evil days of arrogant infidelity. We may be confident that our devotion will shorten the time of trial, and rapidly accelerate the epoch of universal triumph for the Holy See and for the whole Catholic Church.

4. When harassed with internal anguish of spirit, occasioned by scruples of conscience, by temptations, and especially when oppressed by calumny, when embittered by reproaches, by insults, by treachery, by injustice, by persecutions, we will find comfort and courage to bear these trials with Christian resignation and merit, by devoutly reflecting on the example of our Divine Lord and Sovereign King crowned with sharp thorns, and subjected by cruel and impious men to the most painful sufferings, and to the most degrading humiliations. He was our Master, we are his servants. The beads and badge of the Crown of Thorns will by happy experience be found highly conducive to the attainment of this important object in a time of trial.

5. Persons afflicted with headaches, so numerous in these days, will through this salutary devotion, obtain physical relief, or at least moral and spiritual comfort in their painful sufferings, through a special compassion and help of our Lord, who knows how to compassionate our infirmities. Strengthened by his Divine grace, encouraged by his example, they will bravely endure these painful trials with greater merit, and thus obtain an increase of joy and glory for all eternity in heaven. We trust that it will not be considered out of place to state, as a fact connected with this subject, that some experience of these sufferings and trials have contributed much to the idea and execution of this humble work in memory of the Crown of Thorns.

6. Because, as we learn from the Gospel, Pagan soldiers were, under the instigation of the evil spirit, the barbarous authors and the cruel instruments of those atrocious sufferings and profound humiliations of our Divine Lord, the Sovereign King of the Universe; so it is to be hoped that all true Christian soldiers, more especially those who may and will be in the glorious service of the Pope and of the Church, will be induced to adopt this holy devotion with the pious intention and noble resolve of offering to our Blessed Lord some atonement for the outrages heaped upon him by Pagan military men at his painful and humiliating crowning with thorns.

7. Finally, let us hope with St. Jerome that through our fidelity in practising and promoting the devotion of the beads and badge of the Crown of Thorns, we may deserve to obtain the glorious crown of eternal life.

By reciting the beads and wearing the badge of the Crown of Thorns we will, in these dangerous times of fierce conflict of Pagan might against Christian right, and of infidel error against Catholic truths, be daily reminded, that "Through many tribulations we must enter the Kingdom of God." (Acts 14:21)

But by our fidelity and fervor in this holy devotion we hope to obtain the gift of final perseverance in the faith, love and service of our Sovereign King, fighting manfully even unto death for his honor and glory, and thus deserve the promised crown of eternal bliss in the Kingdom of Heaven.

"Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee the crown of life." (Apoc. 2:10)

"Studeamus nunc ut membrorum vita capitis sit corona." (St. Augustin),

FINIS CORONAT OPUS

The Mystery of the Crown of Thorns by a Passionist Father part 48.

THE BEADS OF THE CROWN OF THORNS

"The Crown of Thorns is a Diadem of Love."

No form of popular devotion is known to exist in the Church specially intended to honor our Divine Lord, the King of kings, for wearing during the most painful portion of his Passion, the Crown of Thorns, for our sake and instruction. The beads and badge of the Crown of Thorns, described in these pages, are humbly and respectfully intended, with all due regard to ecclesiastical authority, to supply this want.

Though we are not with exact accuracy informed of the real number of thorns that pierced the adorable head of our suffering Lord, yet a pious tradition mentions that they were seventy-two. The truly learned and pious Suarez states that such is the opinion of several Christian writers. From the information that we receive from devout and learned Catholic authors, the Crown of Thorns may have contained more, but not less of these thorns. St. Bernard and St. Anselm, quoted by Taulerus, affirm that thousands of these sharp thorns pierced our Savior's adorable head.(A Lapide, in St. Matt. 27:29, Suarez, 3 pars, a. 46, art 3. Disp. 35)

The beads of the Crown of Thorns are prepared on the supposition that they were seventy-two. Hence they are composed of seven decades. The seven usual mysteries for consideration during the recital of the beads are entirely taken from the Gospel, and give the history of the crowning of our dear Lord with thorns. The recitation of these beads is begun in the usual manner, with the addition of two short versicles specifying its object. After announcing the so-called mystery, or subject for pious reflection, during the respective decade, the Pater Noster and Ave Maria are recited once, then the doxology or Gloria Patri is repeated ten times. Thus these beads are composed of seven Our Fathers and as many Hail Marys intended to commemorate and honor the seven dolors of the most holy Mother of our Lord, who had a very large share of internal sufferings in the Passion and death of her Divine Son. The seventy Glorias contained in the seven decades, with one at the beginning and another at the end of the Rosary, after the Pater Noster and Ave Maria for the Pope, give seventy-two Glorias in memory of the supposed wounds in the adorable head of our dear Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

We wish explicitly to state that by this form of prayer it is not intended to fix the number of wounds in the head of our Lord, crowned with thorns, but only to honor and thank him for his sufferings in the best practical way that we know. The beads of the Crown of Thorns will close with a suitable prayer translated from the Office of the Crown of Thorns approved by the Church. The beads of the ordinary Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary may be used instead of those of the Crown of Thorns, until a pair of these can be procured. The only difference will be the addition of two extra decades, and reciting the Gloria Patri in place of the Ave Maria. We give now the detailed form and mysteries of the beads of the Crown of Thorns.

Manner of Reciting the Beads of the Crown of Thorns.

V. Come let us adore Jesus Christ, our King.

R. Crowned with our thorns, wounded by their sting. O God, come to my assistance. Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be. Amen.

First Decade
Let us consider that Pilate, to satisfy the people, released unto them Barabbas, and after having scourged Jesus, our Lord, delivered him up to be crucified. (Mk. 15:15)

Recite one Our Father, one Hail Mary, followed by ten Glory be to the Father. Then say.

V We venerate, O Lord, thy Crown of Thorns.

R We meditate, O Jesus, on thy glorious Passion.

Second Decade
Let us consider how the Pagan soldiers led Jesus into the court of the Governor's palace, and called together the whole band. (Mk. 15:16)

The rest as in the first decade.

Third Decade.
Let us consider how the soldiers, having stripped Jesus, put a scarlet cloak about him. (Mt. 27:28)

The rest as above.

Fourth Decade.
Let us consider how those cruel executioners, platting a crown of thorns, put it on the head of Jesus, and a reed in his right hand. (Mt. 27:39)

The rest as above.

Fifth Decade.
Let us consider how those malicious men, spitting upon the face of our Lord, took the reed from his hand, and with it struck his adorable head. (Mt. 27:30)
The rest as above.

Sixth Decade.
Let us consider how those impious men, bending the knee before Jesus, our Lord, mocked him, saying: Hail, King of the Jews. (Mt. 27:29)

The rest as above.

Seventh Decade.
Let us consider, in this last decade, how our Lord, Jesus Christ, bearing the Crown of Thorns and the purple garment, was led before the people, and Pilate said to the Jews: Behold the man. (Jn. 19:5)

The rest as above.

Then say: Our sins, O Lord, have sown the thorns
The points of which thy head transfix. Convert our souls, remove our guilt,
And in our hearts thy thorns infix. Oh! may all men, thee, King of Kings,
In faith adore, in worship love; And in our infallible Pope
Behold thy pledge of truth and hope.

Recite one Pater, Ave and Gloria for the Pope. Then say:

V Having platted a crown of thorns,

R They placed it upon his head.

Let us pray.

Grant we beseech thee, Almighty God, that we, who in rememberance of the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ, venerate here upon earth his Crown of Thorns may deserve to be crowned by him with glory and honor in heaven, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost. World without end. Amen.

In reciting these beads we may have the following intentions: 

First decade, to promote this devotion;

Second decade for our parents or immediate superiors:

Third decade, for our temporal rulers;

Fourth decade, for the conversion of all sinners and infidels;

Fifth decade, for our pastor or confessor;

Sixth decade, for our bishop;

Seventh decade, for the Pope.

The Mystery of the Crown of Thorns by a Passionist Father part 37.

THE WONDERS OF THE CROWN OF THORNS IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY

45. Maria Rosa Adriani
If God is admirable in His saints, His mercy is not less wonderful in behalf of sinners. The Lord is gracious and merciful; patient and plenteous in mercy. The Lord is sweet to all, and His tender mercies are over all His works. (Ps. 144:9)

Sanctity is the work of God: and saints are made and intended by God for the welfare of sinners. Saints are the ripe fruits and the perfection of the Incarnation, which was principally intended for the redemption and salvation of sinful man. In the Venerable Elizabeth Canori Mora we have just admired a heroic victim voluntarily sacrificed for the welfare of poor sinners. In Maria Rosa Adriani we have another holy victim of self-immolation in behalf of a sinful world. Maria Rosa was born, lived and died at Francavilla, head city of the Province of Lecce, Kingdom of Naples. Like a bright morning star she appeared in the horizon of life, early in January, 1786. She was only five years of age, when the brightness of her precious virtue began to shine upon earth. She was violently attacked by the painful and loathsome disease, small-pox. This little and innocent sufferer, beholding her small body covered with putrid sores, prevented by divine grace, began to meditate in the best way she could, on the sufferings of our crucified Lord. On that occasion she felt a strong inspiration and an ardent desire to become like unto him, and to bear in her body the wounds of his sacred passion. The fervent prayer of this innocent child was promptly heard by her heavenly Father. From that moment she felt intense pain in her little hands, feet and side. Her heart was inflamed with a deep and tender compassion for the sorrows of our blessed Lady at the foot of the cross.

As soon as she recovered from this serious illness, little Maria Rosa manifested a strong love for retirement, solitude, prayer, mortification and penance. Some years after she wished to consecrate herself entirely and forever to God in the religious state of life, in the Franciscan Convent of St. Clare in her native city. But her urgent request was sternly refused by her parents. In obedience to them whom she ever venerated as the representatives of God, this good child remained at home keeping herself in deep recollection of spirit, secretly practicing severe penances and almost continual prayer. Her greatest delight was to remain for hours before the most Holy Sacrament in the Church.

When twenty-two years, with her parents' permission, she became a member of the Third Order of St. Francis, in the Church of the Conventual Friars at Francavilla, 19th April, 1808. This new favor increased the fervor of the youthful servant of God. Her supernatural sufferings became more intense and the stigmata began to appear exteriorly, on the principal feasts of our divine Lord, and of his most holy Mother. By degrees the impression of the wounds appeared more visibly marked and the pain was intensified. At last,during the Octave of Corpus Christi, June, 1820, the stigmata were completely formed in her hands, feet and side. This alarmed the humility of Maria, who fervently entreated her divine Spouse to keep them concealed from human sight. Her request, however, was not granted and the stigmata remained visible until her death.

When our Lord finds correspondence with His extraordinary favors, he rapidly multiplies and increases them, in his privileged servants. This he certainly did with Maria Rosa. On the 8th day of June the same month, being Friday and the Feast of the Sacred Heart, she was, late in the evening, raised to a sublime degree of contemplation, when she was favored with a vision. Our Blessed Lord appeared to his servant accompanied by his most holy Mother, took her heart from her bosom, and entrusted it to the special care and guardianship of our blessed Lady, the Virgin of Virgins. He then exhorted Maria Rosa to prepare herself to endure for his sake, and without consolation, one of the most painful martyrdoms. On the following morning, she went to see her spiritual director, and with her habitual simplicity and candor, related to him the heavenly communications with which she had been favored by our Blessed Lord and his most holy Mother. With heroic courage she added, that she was fully disposed, and firmly resolved to endure for God's sake, and with the assistance of his divine grace, any and every affliction, privation and suffering, that his divine Majesty would be pleased to send her. These noble and generous dispositions of his penitent were encouraged by the pious and enlightened Franciscan Father, the spiritual director of Maria Rosa. Fully expecting that her patience and fortitude were to be severely tested, he placed her under obedience, to give her greater confidence, and more to augment the merit of her sufferings. Her confessor then commanded her to offer herself to God, as a willing victim for the sins of men, in imitation of her crucified Spouse. She promptly and gladly complied with the order of her spiritual director. The voluntary victim was immediately placed by God on the altar of mystic sacrifice. On the following night our Lord appeared to her, nailed to the cross: and darting forth from his wounds five most resplendent rays, like beams of burning fire, he transpierced with them the hands, feet and side of his seraphic servant. The extreme pain which Maria Rosa suffered from this divine operation, made her swoon and fall on the floor of her room as if dead. On the following morning, being unable to move, she sent to her spiritual director, who examined her hands and feet, and found them traspierced from side to side and bleeding profusely. The heroic sufferer told him that the wound in her side caused her intense pain, extending to her shoulder. This generous victim of charity and patience, could truly say with St. Paul: "I bear the marks of the Lord Jesus in my body." (Galat. 6:17)

Beside these five visible and permanent wounds, people could see blood flowing from the interior angle of her eyes, but more abundantly from the right side. This was a consequence and effect of the Crown of Thorns, which Maria Rosa continually suffered internally, and the punctures of which were often visible on her head and brow. She explained this mysterious phenomenon to her director, by stating that the blood flowing from her eyes, was caused by a long thorn which seemed to her to pierce through her whole head its points penetrating to the eye. She added that this long thorn was pressed into her head, when forced to lean against the wood of the cross invisibly placed by our Lord upon her shoulders, by which she was almost crushed down to the earth with an immense weight. After enduring for some days this terrible martyrdom, with heroic courage and fortitude, our Lord enriched the soul of his noble servant, with the abundance of his heavenly gifts and graces. These in return inflamed her heart with an insatiable thirst for more sufferings.

To this end, this truly admirable heroine made use of numerous instruments of penance, which have been preserved at Oria as precious relics, the mere sight and even mention of which, cause a pious horror. She often scourged her innocent body to blood with a discipline made of strong wire, the numerous thongs at the extremity of which were armed with sharp steel points that cut and tore her flesh. A tin cross nearly a foot long, with arms in proportion, is also shown, the whole length and breadth of which is armed with small tacks about half an inch long. Maria Rosa, as a lover of the cross and victim of charity, when still very young, so closely tied upon her chest this terrible instrument of penance, that it sunk in her flesh, and became in the course of years incarnated with it. She bravely wore it almost all the time of her life. More frightful even were five large needles, a foot long, with which she occasionally transfixed her body through from side to side. All these terrible instruments of penance are religiously preserved in the Monastery of the Franciscan Fathers in the city of Oria.

This admirable servant of God had a profound veneration for, and sincere devotion to the seraphic Mother of Carmel, St. Teresa, whose virtues she earnestly strove to imitate. The saint in return obtained for her many favors from God. On the 15th of October, Feast of St. Teresa, 1824, Maria Rosa was ravished in a deep ecstasy. A seraph appeared to her, holding a burning dart of divine love, with which he pierced her heart. This divine operation was renewed every year on the same day, during the last twenty-three years of her life.

On the 10th of September, 1848, being the Sunday within the Octave of the Nativity, and the feast of the Holy Name of Mary, our holy heroine felt, in fact knew by special revelation that her mortal course was drawing to an end. All her life had been a fervent and faithful preparation for death. She received with extraordinary devotion and joy, all the sacraments and spiritual helps, that our holy Mother the Church lavishes upon her dying children. Maria Rosa, having been during her whole life, upon the cross, she wished in imitation of her crucified spouse, to die a victim of obedience. She had previously agreed with her confessor that, in her last agony, she was to give him a sign to obtain his command, in virtue of holy obedience for her soul, to depart from this earth and proceed immediately to the eternal embrace of Jesus, her heavenly Spouse. He promised to do so on condition that, if admitted without delay to the beatific vision, she would, if permitted by God, cause the bells of the Monastery Church to ring miraculously a joyful chime. The long wished-for moment arrived. The dying servant of God raised her last supplicating look to her confessor praying at her side. He immediately imparted to her his last blessing, and gave to her the desired command of holy obedience. Maria Rosa about noon September 10th, 1848, with an angelic smile upon her virginal lips, calmly closed the eyes of her body to the earth, to open those of her innocent and pure soul in the light of the beatific vision of God in heaven. A most joyful chime was heard over all the city of Francavilla from all the bells of the city churches. At her death Maria Rosa Adriani was 72 years, 7 months, and 20 days old. This brief but edifying sketch has been written by the spiritual director of this holy servant of God, who assisted at her death, and who is actually engaged in writing more fully her life. The following is his declaration.

Declaration Oria, Apirl 17th, 1872.
I declare that the Church has not yet given any decision on the subject of the deceased. God will in due time make her worth known by means of stupendous prodigies. I do hereby protest that all I have said about Maria Rosa Adriani has no other authority than that of a purely human historical record, and completely submit it to the decrees of Pope UrbanVII and of all the other Supreme Pontiffs. Father Master Francis Delia Pace, Minor Conventual Director (See Les Stigmatisees, Louise Lateau, 1. Vol. Appendice)

46. Venerable Anna Maria Taigi
Though we are not aware that this venerable servant of God suffered in a visible manner the impression of the Crown of Thorns, yet we believe that she deserves to be enumerated in this catalogue. Our object is to promote devotion to the Crown of Thorns of Our dear Savior. Now, as we have mentioned before, this holy woman had continually for forty-seven years this holy crown before her eyes. We humbly believe that, one at least of the objects of this wonderful manifestation was to promote a special devotion towards the crown of our Lord. The vision of the mysterious sun, fit emblem of the Eternal Sun of justice, who assumed human flesh, and came upon earth to enlighten those who sit in darkness, deserves some notice in this place. As we said above, Anna Maria was favored by God during forty-
seven years with a clear and uninterrupted view of a most brilliant sun. Around it shot forth rays from the center and a very closely set crown of thorns intertwined, encircling the superior disk of the sun, stood upon the points of the upper rays. Two of the thorns, lengthened on either side beyond the others, descended below the disk where, crossing one another, they formed with their points a figure like a cross. This we deem sufficient for this place. We may observe that this description admirably tallies with what we have just read about the long thorns in the head of Maria Rosa Adriani. A few details about Anna Maria Taigi will be agreeable.

She was born May 29th, 1769, at Sienna, in Tuscany. At six years of age she with her parents went to reside in Rome. In due time she was married to Dominico Taigi, or rather Taegi, a virtuous young man, but of uncouth and abrupt manners, which contributed much to her sanctification. She was the mother of seven children. Some died very young. The rest she brought up with the greatest care and diligence in the practice of their religious duties. One of her daughters is still living. Anna Maria was a perfect model of a pious Christian wife and mother. She was never idle, yet always praying. She led a life of continual self-denial, mortification and penance, yet she never neglected any domestic duty. She was full of active charity for the poor and indigent; and inflamed with an ardent zeal for the conversion of sinners, and salvation of souls. For the suffering souls in purgatory, she had the most lively compassion; and her devotion to the passion of our Lord, and the dolors of his most holy Mother, was boundless.

Through the supernatural light of his mysterious sun, this wonderful servant of God was enabled to see everything past, present and future. Nothing was hidden from her knowledge, which had relation to the Church, or the Pope. She knew in an instant, by a simple glance at the sun, the secret designs of governments, all the plots of secret societies, the intentions of individuals, their state of conscience, the doom of souls after their death. She possessed in a very eminent degree the spirit of prophecy, and foretold many important events to take place to the end of time, which, according to her knowledge, is fast approaching. Through her spiritual director she often warned the Pope and his ministers of the dangerous machinations of earthly princes, secret societies, treacherous officials, and malevolent individuals of any kind. She prayed and practiced severe penance for the conversion of the enemies of the Church, of sinners and of infidels, and succeeded in converting many. The conversion to Catholicity of the Emperor of Russia, Alexander I, his death on the 1 st December, 1825, and the salvation of his soul, were revealed to her on the same day; and she announced these events to the Russian ambassador in Rome at that time. Anna Maria Taigi died in Rome in great odor of sanctity, June 9th, 1837. The process of her beatification is progressing rapidly. She has been declared venerable by Pope Pins IX. (See her very interesting life by Edward H. Thompson, published London, 1873)

47. Sister Bertine Bouguillon
Bertine was born at St. Omer, France, 1800. When very young she became a religious in St. Louis' Hospital in her native city. At 22 years of age Sister Bertine was stigmatized in her hands, feet and side, and received the Crown of Thorns. These suffering and miraculous representations were manifested every Friday, and on the principal feasts during the year so long as she lived.

By order of the Bishop of Arras, Mgr. De la Tour d'Auvergne, theologians and medical men were commissioned to examine into the extraordinary phenomena manifested in the person of Sister Bertine, and after a most searching and minute inquiry they came to the unanimous conclusion that they had a supernatural origin; in short, that they were from God. The Bishop confirmed their decision by an official arid definite sentence. Sister Bertine died January 25th, 1850. (Voix Prophetiques by L'Abbe Curicque. 1. Vol. Paris, 1872.)

48. Maria Domenica Lazzari
This suffering child of the cross, was born March 16th 1815, at Capriani, Italian Tyrol. Maria Domenica was stigmatized in her hands, feet and side, January 1 st, 1834, and three weeks later she received the impression of the Crown of Thorns. Every Friday, until the year 1847, this victim of the passion suffered intensely; all her wounds and the Crown of Thorns bleeding profusely. She died on Easter Sunday, 1848. See Les Stigmatizisees du Tyrol, by Leon Bori, Paris 1840. Also, Louise Lateau. The Ecstatic of Bois du Haine, Belgium, by Shepard, London, 1872.

49. Crescenzia Nierklutsch
Crescenzia was born June 15th, 1816, at Cana, a Tyrolese village. She lived for some time at Tschermes, and more lately at Meran, where she received the stigmata of the five wounds, and the impression of the Crown of Thorns. In the year 1844 she was living in Meran, and is supposed to be still alive at the present time. Rev. Antonio Riccardi mentions her in his book with the other two Tyrolese stigmatized. Domenica Lazzari, and Maria de Moerl, the famous ecstatic. See likewise, the bleeding wounds of Christ reproduced on the persons of three Christian virgins actually living in Tyrol, by Veyland, Metz. 1844.

50. Dorothea Visser.
Dorothea was born at Gendringen, Holland, in the year 1820. When she was a very young child, a little boy miraculously appeared to her, informing the pious girl that some extraordinary things should happen to her. About the 23rd year of her life, Dorothea received the impression of the Crown of Thorns, and soon after she was stigmatized in her hands, feet and side, but in a new and singular manner. The five wounds of her stigmata were cruciform. The medical doctor Te Welscher published in 1844, at Borken a work about this servant of God with the title: "The Stigmatized of Gendrigen." Mr. Riko of Haye, who communicated this information to Dr. A. Imbert Gourbeyere, thinks that Dorothea Visser is still living in Holland.

The Mystery of the Crown of Thorns by a Passionist Father part 36.

NINETEENTH CENTURY - THE CROWN OF THORNS IS THE DIADEM OF VICTORY

The Crown of Thorns (Ecce Homo), c.1612 by Rubens

Century of my birth, measure of my fleeting time, gate to my eternity, I like to hear and re-echo thy praises. God in the admirable designs of his wisdom and goodness, has been generous with thee. I sincerely admire the wealth of thy gifts, thy natural talents, thy industrious skill, thy unflagging energy; the powerful activity and rapidity of thy steam engines, the ubiquity of thy voice through thy wire's electric flash, rushing with lightning speed through mountains and oceans. Knowledge under thy fostering care, has fledged and extended her wings; and science has soared to the stars, dived to the bottom of the sea, and penetrated to the bowels of the earth. All this is in thy praise, venerable mother of seventy-seven. How good is God to ' Israel, to them that are of a right heart. (Ps. 72)

But the majority of thy children, in their pride, impiety and sensuality, have abused the gifts of God, and turned them against their divine benefactor. Pride has held them fast; they are covered with their iniquity, and their wickedness. Their iniquity has come forth as it were from fatness; they have passed into the affectation of the heart. They have thought and spoken wickedness and blasphemy; they have spoken iniquity on high. They have set their mouth against heaven and their tongues have passed through the earth. (Ps. 72.) If I have said: I will speak thus: Behold! I should condemn the generation of thy children. I studied that I might know this thing, it is a labor in my sight.

I have learned that at thy birth, old lady, thou wert steeped in human blood by the cruel tyrant of despotism and war. Thy youth and beauty have been prostituted and dishonored by the treachery of sedition and by the impiety of revolution. Scarcely one nation can be found on the face of the earth, during the cycle of thy existence, that has not been humbled, and suffered violence from the pride and impiety of thy rebellious children. Too many of them are, like blind moles, clandestinely boring deep pits and snares of seduction, and becoming proud and arrogant at the sight of their molehills, which they call progress. Like black coal-diggers, with the dim lamps of befogged reason stuck to their soiled caps, some of thy gifted children are day and night lowering their manhood in their insane efforts to undermine the earth, with the impious and cruel design of speedily causing a universal explosion, upsetting the established order of civil society, and completely destroying the Christian religion. Venerable matron! thy noble figure will in a few years be enveloped in dismal clouds of black smoke, and lurid petroleum flames, and thy hoary head will be singed and covered with the accumulated ashes of ruins, precipitated by the perjured craft of impiety. The Church of ages, divinely built upon the impregnable rock of Peter, from whose beneficent hands thou hast received all thy worth and honor, will suffer some temporary breach in her more exposed and weaker ramparts, but these will be made available for the reception and safe refuge of repentant prodigals, returning home to their afflicted but ever merciful mother. This holy Church of the living God, in her heavenly wisdom, inexhaustible goodness and creative energy, will collect the scattered ruins of betrayed human society, and console and crown thy expiring years, by the reconstruction of a manly, noble and vigorous Christendom over the renovated surface of the earth. "The Lord our God will send forth his spirit, and holy apostles shall be created, and the face of the earth and of Christian society shall be renewed." (Ps. 103)

The ground work for this magnificent structure is being extensively prepared, and its foundations are actively dug, in spite of their intentions and calculations, by the blind agents and deluded slaves of the prince of darkness. Our Church's wisest and .best architects have already met in council at the Vatican. They have designated, solemnly proclaimed and permanently installed on the pontifical throne our unerring leader, and after having paid homage to his supreme authority, they have quietly adjourned, determined to meet again at the most propitious opportunity to arrange, organize and accomplish their wisely matured plans of action. Those privileged souls, intended by God to co-operate in a special manner in this mighty work of re-edification with their prayers, penances, zeal and rich stock of merits, are under skilful training. About twenty of them have already received their diploma with the divine seal of the five stigmata, the Crown of Thorns and other tokens of our Savior's predilection. Those supernaturally wounded hands of his visible sanctity, are constantly lifted up towards heaven, like those of Moses in fervent supplications to the throne of Mercy, and working hard preparing the proper materials for the erection of God's holy Temple. The humble heads of thorn-crowned virtue are day and night bowed down in prayer of self immolation before the altar of the Most High to implore the help, and obtain the protection of his omnipotent hand, for the speedy and complete success of this noble enterprise undertaken for the promotion of his honor and glory, and for the conversion and salvation of mankind.

Venerable Mother and Matron of the nineteenth century, in spite of the deep impiety and widespread wickedness of many of thy wretched children, thou wilt expire in the warm embrace of the Holy Catholic Church. With heartfelt sentiments of sincere joy and gratitude for this great mercy, thou, in the words of holy Simeon, wilt with thy dying lips bless God and say: "Now thou dost dismiss thy servant, O Lord, according to thy words in peace; because my eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; a light to the revelation of the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people of Israel." (Lk. 2:29) In this cheering and hopeful expectation, I consecrate, venerable Matron, to thy memory and to thy honor, the following list of some of thy holiest and noblest children, carefully trained in the school and genuine faith of Jesus crowned with thorns and crucified.

41. Sister Maria Josepha Kumi
This great servant of God was born February 20th, 1763, at Wollaran, Canton of Switz. She was nineteen years of age when she became a Dominican Nun in the convent of Wesan, diocese of Saint Gall. Sister Maria Josepha was stigmatized gradually. First she received the wound in her side, then the Crown of Thorns; finally, twenty years after her religious profession, namely in the year 1803, stigmatization was completed in her hands and feet. She died November 7th, 1817. Abrief account of her life was published in the German language in Saint Gall, Switzerland, 1868.

42. Venerable Maria Louisa Biagini.
Maria Louisa was born in the city of Lucca, Tuscany, March 14th, 1770. At eighteen years of age she received the habit of the second Order of St. Francis in the Convent of San Micheletto (Little Saint Michael) in her native city. She often suffered the stigmata of the five wounds and the impression of the Crown of Thorns, especially on Good Friday. This great servant of God died March 29th, 1811, in the odor of sanctity in her Convent in Lucca where her body is preserved as a precious relic. The cause of her beatification is favorably advancing in Rome. See life of Sister Maria Louisa Biagini, Luchese, Lay Sister of the second Order of St. Francis, by Rev. Canon Raphael Mezzelli, extracted from the memoirs of the Marquis Cesare Luchesini, and from other documents, Lucca, 1864, published by G. Giusti.

43. Sister Ann Catherine Emmerich
This admirable lover of Jesus crucified was born September 8, 1774, in the village of Flanike, about two miles from Coesfield, a town in the diocese of Munster, Germany. She became an Augustinian nun in the Convent of Agnetenberg at Dulmen on the 28th August 1812. Sister Ann Catharine received on her virginal body a stigma in the form of a cross. Another similar impression was made just above the first, during the Christmas feast. On the 29th December of the same year, this holy religious was stigmatized in her hands, feet and side. She received subsequently, the impression of the Crown of Thorns. Sister Ann Catharine was often made to undergo in a visible manner, all the sensible sufferings of the passion of our dear Lord. She wrote a wonderful book of her visions and revelations, with the title "The dolorous passion of our Lord Jesus Christ." The stigmata and all these terrible pains continued until the end of her life. She died February 9th, 1824, and was buried in the cemetery of Dulmen. See Ann Catharine Emmerich, by Dr. Krabbe, Germany. Much better however, is the life of Ann Catharine Emmerich by Father Schmoager, translated into French by M. de Lazales, published in Paris by Bray, 1808, 1872, in three volumes.

44. Venerable Elizabeth Canori Mora
This truly admirable servant of God, and heroic victim of self-immolation, in expiation of the sins of mankind, was born in Rome, of respectable parents, November 21st, Feast of the Presentation in the year 1774. In due time she was married to Christopher Mora, an advocate in the Roman Court, by whom she had several children. Elizabeth had much to suffer from these, but more especially from her husband. She made, however, such good use of these and other trials, that she rapidly advanced to the highest degree of Christian perfection. She ever had an ardent devotion to the passion of our Lord and was particularly penetrated with the mystery of the Ecce Homo, behold the man. The Stations of the Cross were the exercise of her special predilection. On Christmas day Elizabeth saw in a vision our infant Savior in the cradle, drenched in his blood. She was given to understand that he suffered all this through the negligence of Christian parents and of those who are charged with the education of children, and neglect this grave duty of Religion. On the feast of the Purification February 2nd, our blessed Lady presented to her servant his divine Son wounded and bleeding profusely, and said to her: "Behold, my daughter, how wounded he is. Oh! Hide him in thy heart." The most holy Mother of our Lord exhorted Elizabeth to offer often the sacred blood of her divine Son, to the Eternal Father, to obtain the conversion of sinners, and the salvation of souls, to whose welfare she was so ardently devoted. Our blessed Lady added: "Join with this offering, my daughter, that of thy sufferings and trials with the love with which thy heart is penetrated." These heavenly visions and exhortations enkindled in her heart, a most ardent desire of offering herself as a victim for the satisfaction of divine justice, and for the conversion of sinners and infidels. Her generous offer was accepted. She was made to suffer in a sensible manner, a real crucifixion when her side and heart were really pierced with a lance. Her sufferings were excessive. She felt that she was dying when our Lord appeared to her and detached her from the cross, praising and consoling her for her generosity. She was in an instant restored to perfect health. Elizabeth received also the Crown of Thorns. God through her prayers, and meritorious sufferings, converted many sinners, and delivered the Church and the Pontifical States from serious calamities. It was she who cured the young Count John Maria de Mastar Ferretti, the present gloriously reigning Pontiff, Pius DC, from epilepsy which had so far prevented his desired admission into the ecclesiastical state ... Through the spirit of prophecy Elizabeth very likely foresaw the future eminent sanctity of the noble youth. Whilst we write these lines, we learn from a high authority in Rome, that Pius IX is working great miracles. The letter is dated Rome, 8th February.1876. On the 18th of June, 1814 she obtained from God the deliverance of the soul of Pope Plus VI, from the pains of purgatory. He had been dead about fifteen years. He had been an exemplary Pope and died in exile, and a martyr of persecution, yet it seems, he had to suffer so long in purgatory. Can we dear leader, flatter ourselves that we shall escape it? Too many Catholics are under this flattering illusion. In the year 1820, by a special inspiration of God, Elizabeth became a member of the Third Order of the Reformed and Barefooted Trinitarians. She died in Rome, 5th of February, 1825, in great odor of sanctity. The process of her beatification is progressing favorably. (See Voix Prophetiques. Vol 2, Chap 13)

The Mystery of the Crown of Thorns by a Passionist Father part 28.

HISTORY OF THE CROWN OF THORNS part 1.

"The soldiers platting a Crown of Thorns put it upon his head" (Jn 19:2)

Our work would be incomplete without some historical notice of the Crown of Thorns of our Savior. We trust that a brief account of it will be agreeable to Catholic piety and devotion.

In the outset we have to observe that Almighty God in His divine wisdom, deals very differently with Christians from what he was pleased to do with the Jews. These were, by nature, and circumstances more material, and had more need of visible and sensible objects in the practices of their religion. Moreover, being surrounded on every side by idolatrous nations, they were exposed to the temptation and danger of falling into idolatry. For these motives God gave them very explicit and detailed instructions about the nature and form of the objects and instruments of their religious worship, and sacred rites and ceremonies. This is evident to any one who reads Exodus, Leviticus etc. Hence, Almighty God, speaking of the Tabernacle and its appurtenances said to Moses: "Look and make it according to the pattern that was shown to thee in the mount." (Exod. 25:40) About the principal facts which are the foundation of Christianity, God has given us the most certain, and convincing proofs. Take, for instance, the birth, life, passion, death and resurrection of our divine Redeemer, the institution of the seven Sacraments, the holy sacrifice of the Mass and so on. But he has been pleased to leave us in obscurity about many details, which would naturally gratify human curiosity, but are not essential to Christian Faith. We know for certain that our Savior was born, but we know not the exact year. We know not in what month his holy Mother and Saint Joseph had to flee with him into Egypt, or in what year and month they returned thence to Palestine. We are told by the Evangelists that he was scourged, but they do not inform us what were the instruments used on that occasion, and for how long a time this cruel torture lasted. They state the fact of his crucifixion, but they do not describe to us the nature of the wood from which the cross was made; how large it was, nor whether only three, or four nails were used. The holy Evangelists have done the same in relation to our Savior's crowning with thorns. They announce to us that he was crowned with thorns, but they neither mention the quality, nor the quantity of these thorns. This knowledge would certainly gratify a pious curiosity, but it is not essential to our faith, or devotion. One of the principal motives for their reticence may have been to induce us to seek and find out by reading, by studying, or by listening to instructions, what the Evangelists have judged best to entrust to the safe treasury of Christian tradition. Our Lord likes to see his disciples practising humility by acknowledging their ignorance in many things, and evincing their docility by seeking information. Let us try to please our divine Master by the practice of both these Christian virtues.

Many Christians would like to know what was the nature of the thorns with which our dear Lord was crowned by the Pagan soldiers. Upon this subject there are three opinions, which we will state on this occasion, and thus enable the devout reader to select that which best satisfies his mind.

1. Some Christian writers are of opinion that the thorns with which our divine Lord was crowned in the hall of Pilate were taken by the soldiers from a bramble bush, or from the haw-thorn tree. Other able writers sustain that the crown of our Lord was formed of Red Sea bulrushes. (See A Lapide. com. in 27 St. Matt) Both sides have authorities and facts in their favor. In support of the first opinion we have the well-known fact that in some churches, thorns are venerated by the faithful with the approbation and sanction of the Church, as belonging to the original crown of our suffering Savior, which are not Red Sea rushes, but have been taken from a thorny bush. The great Pope Benedict XIV states that a remarkable relic of one branch with five thorns of the crown of our Lord Jesus Christ is devoutly preserved in the Chapel of the Royal Palace in Munich, Bavaria. (De Beot. et Cann. Lib. 4 Part. 2 Chap. 14 No. 15) It is well known that bulrushes have neither branches, nor side thorns.

2. The opinion, however, of those writers who sustain that the crown of our Lord was formed of Red Sea rushes is well supported by facts. The principal portion of the Crown of Thorns preserved and venerated in the holy Chapel in Paris favors this opinion. William Durandus states that he saw this holy crown in Paris composed of Red Sea bulrushes. The pious and learned Cornelius A Lapide, the prince of biblical commentators states that: "In Rome he saw two of the sacred thorns of our Savior's crown, which by direction of the holy Empress St. Helena were preserved in the Basilica of the Holy Cross. According to his description, these thorns are long and sharp like large needles: "Sunt Mae longae et acutae instar crassarum acicularum." (Com. in S. Matt. 27:29) Again St. Vincent Ferrer says that the Crown of Thorns of our Lord was formed by the executioners in the shape of a hat, or helmet, which covered his entire head. "Spinea Domini corona erat ad modumpilei, ita ut totum tegeret caput." (Serm. In Parasceve)

We know no kind of thorns that could be woven, or platted in such a form, except Red Sea rushes. Whilst the brown thorny points of these rushes are very hard and sharp, the stem itself as the name of rush implies, is sufficiently long and flexible to be twisted and shaped in the form of a cap adapted to the head of a man. This kind of thorny rushes, growing profusely on the shores of the Red-Sea and about Palestine, could easily have been procured by the Roman soldiers. St. Vincent of Lerin testifies that the points of these Red-Sea thorns are so hard and sharp as to pierce through the soles of travelers' shoes.

3. From what we have said we must naturally arrive at a third conclusion. It is pretty plain that the Crown of Thorns of Our Lord was partly formed of the small branches of some thorny bush, round which were woven the Red-Sea bulrushes. In this supposition we embrace both the two former opinions, and are more easily satisfied about the form of the Crown of Thorns mentioned by St. Vincent Ferrer. Cornelius A. Lapide seems to incline to this third opinion. Forte in ea corona spinas junci spinis rhamni intertextaefuere. (A. Lapide in Matt. 27:29) We should also remember that St. Anselm, St. Bernard and Tauler affirm that this horrible crown contained a thousand thorns. "Ipsa corona mille puncturis speciosum caput Jesu devulnerat." (St. Bernard)

It is generally believed that our Lord was made to wear the Crown of Thorns, during the remaining portion of his passion. This fact is proclaimed by every picture or engraving representing the crucifixion of our Lord. The uniformity of these images expresses the traditional belief of Christianity. Origen and Tertullian explicitly state, that our Lord on the cross wore the Crown of Thorns on his sacred head. This is confirmed by the revelations made to St. Bridget. This great Saint writes, that the Blessed Virgin Mary revealed to her that immediately before the crucifixion, the Crown of Thorns was drawn violently by the executioners, out of the head of our Lord in order to strip him of his seamless tunic. But after the crucifixion, the Crown of Thorns was replaced with inexpressible pain on the head of our Lord, and pressed down to the middle of his forehead. So copious was the blood flowing from every part of his perforated head, that it filled his ears and especially his eyes in such a way, that when our crucified Savior wished to look at his afflicted Mother standing with St. John at the foot of the cross, he was obliged by compressing the eye-lids to force the blood out of his eyes. (St. Bridget. Lib. 1 Revel. Chap. 10)

The Crown of Thorns came in possession of St. Helena, mother of the Emperor Constantine, when she visited Jerusalem in the Spring of the year 326. The object of her journey was to find the cross of our Savior and some of the principal instruments of his passion. Jews and Gentiles had combined in a common effort to conceal from Christian devotion, these venerated relics. It was an invariable custom among the Jews, to bury near the body of a public criminal, whatever instrument had been used at his execution. In conformity with this practice, they buried near the Sepulcher of our Lord on Mount Calvary, the cross and other instruments of his passion. Large numbers of fervent Christians, however, often visited this hallowed spot to commemorate the sufferings of their Redeemer and to venerate, in the best manner they could, the hidden instruments of his passion and death. The heathens, from an aversion to Christianity, did everything in their power to prevent this manifestation of Christian faith and devotion. For this end they heaped on this place a large quantity of stones and earth; and erected near it a temple in honor of the impure Venus, that those who came thither to adore our Lord, might appear to worship, in the marble idol, the false and degrading goddess of Paganism. Pious Christians had addressed many fervent prayers to God, for the removal of these Pagan abominations, and for the public and complete triumph of the Christian religion. Three hundred years of persecution, had well tried the invincible firmness of Christian faith and devotion. God was determined to reward, even upon earth the fidelity of his servants. He miraculously, converted the brave and youthful Emperor Constantine to the sacred standard of his crucified Son; and inspired him with the determination of abolishing idolatry throughout all his vast dominions. His pious mother, St. Helena, by word and example urged Constantine to the execution of these good works. Though eighty years of age, this holy empress in the Spring of the year 326, undertook a journey from Constantinople to Jerusalem. The principal object of her pious pilgrimage was to find out the place of our Lord's Sepulcher with his cross and the instruments of his passion and then build there a magnificent church for the worship of the true living God and of his incarnate Son. After her arrival in Jerusalem, St. Helena made every prudent inquiry in order to discover the place of our Lord's Sepulcher. Her Christian piety was horrified when she beheld with her own eyes Mount Calvary and the sepulcher of our Lord profaned by the temple and statue of the impure Venus. Fired with a holy zeal, she gave orders for their immediate demolition and destruction. Under her direction the heap of stones and earth was removed and a large and deep hole was dug until the sacred instruments of our Savior's passion were unearthed. With her heart overflowing with joy and with sentiments of profound gratitude to God for the recovery of these precious treasures of Christian devotion, the holy and generous Empress built in the city of Jerusalem some churches, the most magnificent of which was that of the Holy Sepulcher. This she enriched with a good portion of the sacred relics of our Lords's passion. Some others she sent to Rome, and the remainder she took with her to Constantinople. Among the sacred relics of the passion taken by this holy empress to the latter imperial city, was the Crown of Thorns of our blessed Lord, which she highly valued and deeply venerated. Out of respect for the Chair of St. Peter, she sent to the Pope in Rome-two thorns of the sacred crown. This precious discovery was made May 3rd, when the Church commemorates the finding of the holy Cross. This pious empress was called by God to her eternal crown of glory in heaven Aug. 18, 326.

The sacred Crown of our Lord remained in Constantinople about nine hundred years. Baldwin the n, the Latin Emperor of the East had many and powerful enemies to contend with. The Greek Christians disliked him, and turned against his government. They treacherously enticed the Saracens, or Turks to attack him. Harassed by both parties, Baldwin had serious fears that Constantinople would soon fall into their hands. In his spirit of Christian devotion, being anxious to protect from infidel desecration, the principal relics of our Lord's passion, he sent them to France to his relative, the holy King St. Louis. Baldwin by these sacred presents wished to testify his esteem for the great virtue of St. Louis and his profound gratitude for the magnanimous efforts of the pious King of France in defending the holy places of Palestine and the Eastern Empire. The first relic sent by the Emperor Baldwin to the holy King of France was, according to Genebrard, the Crown of Thorns of our blessed Lord. It was carefully sealed in a rich case and taken by two Dominican Fathers, James and Andrew from Constantinople to Venice. Thence, it was brought through Italy into France. This was in August of the year 1239.

St. Louis accompanied by his pious mother Blanche, by his brother Robert of Artois, and by many princes and prelates.went in procession to meet the sacred treasure fifteen miles beyond the ancient city of Sens. Arrived at the appointed place, the holy king knelt before it in profound veneration, and the remainder of the numerous procession imitated his example. Dressed in sack cloth and in his bare feet, this most Christian monarch with his pious brother reverently took the sacred relic and returned in solemn procession to Sens; shedding tears of devotion through sentiments of religious gratitude to our Lord Jesus Christ, the King of kings. From Sens the holy crown was soon conveyed to Paris, where it was received with extraordinary solemnity and devotion. St. Louis built a beautiful new church for its reception, which on account of the many precious relics wherewith it is enriched, is called the Holy Chapel, La Sainte Chapelle. From the holy Crown of our Lord in Paris, some sacred thorns have been distributed to other churches. They are usually very long. (See Butler's Lives of Saints, May 3)

We will close this chapter with another account of the Crown of Thorns, given in the "illustrated Catholic Family Almanac," 1877, from which some other interesting details about this precious object of Catholic devotion will be learned. It bears the following title:

THE CROWN OF THORNS WORN BY OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST

Below we copy an engraving of the crown of thorns from the magnificent work of M. Paul Lacroix, Military and Religious Life in the Middle Ages. The crown is composed of a ring of small reeds tied into a bundle, the thorns being no longer visible; it is enshrined in gold and held together by three golden acanthus leaves. The opening is large enough to encircle the head and to fall rather low over the brow. This circlet is the support or foundation, so to speak, of the painful crown of our Lord. The branches of thorns were twined alternately within and without, and twisted across in such a manner, as to form not only a circlet, but a cap, as it were, of torture, which covered our Redeemer's head. The authentic history of this sacred relic is of great interest: In the year 1204 the French and the Venetians, having captured Constantinople, established there as emperor Baldwin, Count of Flanders. On the division of the booty this prince requested for his share the sacred crown of our Savior, which was found among the treasure of the emperors of the East. His successor, Baldwin II, finding his empire in the year 1238, threatened by the Greeks on the one side, and on the other by the Bulgarians, came into the West to seek aid and protection against his enemies. Whilst at the court of France, whither he had gone to entreat the assistance of St. Louis, tidings reached him that the nobles whom he had left at Constantinople, finding their resources completely exhausted, were on the point of pledging the holy crown to the Venetians, for a sum of money. The young emperor, strongly disapproving of this measure, offered as a free gift to St. Louis, the precious relic which the lords of Byzantium were wishing to sell. St. Louis eagerly accepted such agift as this, and immediately at the same time that Baldwin dispatched one of his officers with letters-patent, commanding the holy crown should be sent to him, the French monarch sent two of the Friars Preachers named James and Andrew, to receive it in his name. On the arrival of the messengers at Constantinople, they found the sacred relic gone from the treasury and pledged to the Venetians for 13,075 hyperperia or about £157,000 sterling. It had been deposited by their chamberlain, Pancratius Caverson in the church of Panta Craton, that of his nation at Byzantium. On receiving the emperor's orders, the Latin lords rearranged the matter with the Venetians, and it was agreed that, if within a reasonably short time, the latter did not receive the reimbursement of the sum they had paid, the sacred crown should become their undoubted property. Meanwhile, it was to be carried to Venice, accompanied by the envoys of the King of France, one of whom, Father Andrew, had formerly been guardian of the convent of his order at Constantinople and, having on several occasions seen the crown, knew its appearance perfectly well. Every possible precaution was taken to secure the identification of the holy.crown, which was enclosed in three chests, the first of gold the second of silver on which the Venetian lords affixed their seals, the third of wood which was sealed by the French nobles. On the arrival of the envoys at Venice, the holy crown was at once borne to St. Mark's and there placed among the treasures in the Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament, where reposed the body of the Evangelist, between the two columns of alabaster which are said to have been brought from the Temple of Solomon. At the same time one of the Dominican Fathers set out for France to acquaint St. Louis with the terms agreed upon. These were approved by the king who directed the French merchants to repay the Venetians the sum they had advanced. The sacred relic was then delivered into the hands of the French envoys who after assuring themselves that the seals were intact, started homewards with their treasure on the road to France. Safely arrived in Paris, the crown, amid great solemnities was deposited in the palace chapel. Besides all the precautions taken to render any substitution impossible, we may add that Baldwin, on being required to examine and identify the relic, declared its authenticity in a document written on parchment, which was in existence until the Revolution of 1793, signed with his own hand in Greek characters traced in cinnabar, and having his own seal of lead covered with gold, affixed. On one side of the seal the emperor was represented enthroned, with the inscription: "Balduinus Imperator Romaniae semper Augustus." On the other he was on horseback with the inscription in Greek letters: "Baudoin, Empereur, Comte de Flandre." It must also be borne in mind that the Venetians, before lending so considerable a sum for such a pledge, would be certain to satisfy themselves beyond all doubts as to its authenticity. It is certain too that a century and a half before the reign of St. Louis, at the time of the First Crusade, all the world admitted that a very large portion of the crown was perserved at Constantinople in the chapel of the Greek emperors. When Alexis Comnenus wished to induce the Christian princes to go to his assistance, he spoke to them of the very precious relics which they would help to save, amongst which he especially designated the Crown of Thorns. Also in the time of Charlemagne, all the West had the certainty that Constantinople possessed this treasure, of which a considerable part was equally known to be at Jerusalem. Towards the year 800, according to Aimoin, the Patriarch of Jerusalem had detached some of the thorns which he sent to Charlemagne, who deposited them at Aix-la-Chapelle, with one of the nails of the true cross, and it was these relics which were afterwards given by Charles le Chauve to the Abbey of St. Denis. The existence of the crown is a fact constantly alluded to in the sixth century by St. Gregory of Tours amongst others; and about the year 409, St. Paulinus of Nola knew of its preservation. He writes: "The thorns with which the Savior was crowned, and the other relics of his passion, recall to us the living remembrance of his presence."

For the reception of the crown and other precious relics of the passion, St. Louis caused to be erected in Paris, the elegant Sainte Chapelle, at a cost of about $3,500,000, and there they remained till the Revolution, when this, as so many other churches, was desecrated, the interior being nearly destroyed. Fortunately, the holy treasures belonging to the Sainte Chapelle were rescued, the sacred crown having been deposited in the National Library, where it was preserved with the utmost care by the Abbe Barthelemy. On the 10th of August, 1806, the holy crown was deposited in Notre Dame where it is now.

"The soldiers of the Roman Governor, after having scourged my Son at the pillar, adapted a Crown of Thorns to his adorable head, and, pressed it with such violence that blood was made to gush so copiously from it as to cover his eyes, fill his ears and imbrue all his beard." (Revelations of St. Bridget : Lib. 2 cap. 10)

The Mystery of the Crown of Thorns by a Passionist Father part 27.

Finally, let us consider the agency through which this most important transaction is executed. This is done by the soldiers of the Roman Governor, Pilate. They strip our Lord, and thus deprive the Jews of their religion. They clothe him with the scarlet cloak which belongs to the Roman army and government, and thus they officially transfer the true religion of God to themselves. "Mystice vestimentis, idest Judeis, nudatur Jesus: purpura induitur, idest gentili ecclesia." These are the genuine words of St. Jerome. (Com. in. Matt. 27) Admire here, the wonders of the wisdom and power of God. After the great miracle of our Lord at the resurrection of Lazarus, many Jews who had been present believed in our Savior. "Some of them, the Evangelist says, went to the Pharisees and told them the things that Jesus had done. The chief priests, therefore, and the Pharisees gathered a council, and said: what do we, for this man doeth many miracles? If we let him alone so, all men will believe in him: and the Romans will come and take away our place and nation. (Jn. 11:48) It was on this occasion, that the high Pontiff Caiphas said that our Lord should be put to death.

He has, in fact, been condemned to death by the Jewish priests and magistrates, and delivered by them for execution into the hands of the Roman soldiers. Now, God makes use of these very soldiers to deprive the Jewish people of their religion, and of their holy city, and nation ... Behold how God turns against His enemies the means they use in opposition to His divine will. Before many years hence, we expect to see a similar, but more magnificent and more complete stroke of divine wisdom and power against the modern enemies of Jesus, the malicious and bitter persecutors of his Church. With scarcely any exception, the powers of the earth have allied themselves with the power of darkness, the secret societies, to fight against the religion of Christ, and against his Vicar upon earth. God will before long use these powerful secret organizations for the destruction of those deluded governments that have hired them as allies in the unholy war, to accelerate in spite of their malice, the inevitable universal triumph of his holy religion, as foretold, by so many of his prophetical seers in the old and new testament. This great triumph must be entirely the work of God: For this end He has permitted the powers of the earth to abandon the protection of His Church. When all human hope has vanished, then the hand of God will in a more striking manner, be made apparent to all mankind. Let the faithful draw nearer to their King, crowned with thorns. Let them cover themselves with the scarlet cloak of his holy religion. Very likely, some of the more worthy members will have to dye and enrich it with the blood of martyrdom. But this blood will be the surest pledge of approaching victory and the prolific seed of a rich harvest of conversions to the Catholic Faith. The triumph of the cross is achieved by humility and suffering. Let us close these remarks with an example adapted to our present subject. Chosroas, the proud king of Persia, taking advantage of the distracted condition of the Eastern Empire in the reign of Phocas, declared war against him, marched his victorious army through Palestine, and entered the city of Jerusalem, which he sacked, and carried away with him as a trophy the cross of our Savior. The pious Emperor Heraclius, the successor of Phocas, anxious to recover this precious treasure of Christian devotion, made several overtures to the king, who rejected them with scornful insolence. In his distress Heraclius, placing his confidence in God, betook himself to fasting and prayer, fevently imploring the divine assistance. Animated with a lively faith he, with a very inferior army, attacked his powerful pagan adversary, and in three successive battles so completely routed Chosroas as to put him to an ignominious flight, who was soon after killed by his own son. Heraclius recovered the sacred treasure, which his Christian heart so ardently coveted. Full of joy he returned to Jerusalem, where he was received with great triumph. By his order a grand procession was organized. A large number of clergy and religious took part in it with several bishops headed by the Patriarch of Jerusalem. The emperor, clad in his richest and most magnificent robes of state, wearing a golden diadem over his head, and a rich purple mantle on his shoulders, devoutly took the cross, anxious to carry it to the Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher, built by St. Helena on Mount Calvary. But notwithstanding all his efforts the emperor could not move a single step. In the general surprise and consternation caused by this unexpected event the holy Bishop of Jerusalem, Zacharias, moved by the inspiration of God, said to the astonished monarch. "Please, your Majesty, reflect that the gorgeous robes that you wear are too much in contrast with the poverty and humility of our Savior, when, in this place, he carried the same cross to Mount Calvary". This truly Christian Sovereign, struck by the wise remark of the holy Bishop, put aside all his imperial insignia, clothed himself with poor garments, put a crown of thorns on his head, and with bare feet performed the journey with great ease and inexpressible joy of heart. In this manner the holy cross of our Lord was restored to his Church. This glorious triumph, with the previous victories over the enemies of our holy religion, were obtained by prayer and fasting, by voluntary poverty and humility. These are the victorious weapons with which all the enemies of Christ, and of his holy Church are defeated and overthrown. May we learn a lesson from this example.

2. The wisest monarch of antiquity said: "In the multitude of people is the dignity of the king: and in the small number of people the dishonor of the prince." (Prov. 14:28) The magnificence, with which earthly potentates surround themselves, is intended to draw to their allegiance a large number of subjects. This is the general object of human ambition. This is the aspiration of the human heart. Man likes to command. More wars have been waged to gratify this passion of ambitious dominion over multitudes of men, than through any other motive. In our present age this aspiration for power and dominion, though perhaps more sly and cautious, is as strong and intriguing as it has ever been in the human breast. This is the motive power which arms millions of men with the effective weapons of modern warfare, and keeps them, with menacing looks in an attitude of aggression, striking terror into the hearts of weaker neighbors. The higher this ambition of dominion is, the more profound the homage it demands from humiliated humanity.

Very different, however, is the meekness and humility of Jesus from the ambition and arrogance of proud men. Behold him sitting upon a cold stone, a fit emblem of the dispositions of the human heart towards him, who is the King of Kings. His diadem is a crown of sharp thorns, dripping with his life's Blood. A reed of derision has been placed in his divine hands. An old scarlet rag covers his wounded and bleeding shoulders. A number of Pagan soldiers have been gathered round his Person. But these, instead of homage, heap upon him derision and insults, the most painful and humiliating. They bow their knees before him in mockery, and with sneers salute him "King of the Jews." They approach him in turn. Some slap his cheeks, some spit upon his face, one strikes him with his hard fist, another beats down his Crown of Thorns with a heavy stroke, whilst the surrounding multitude of Jews and Gentiles applaud and encourage these horrible barbarities, with shouts of laughter. Not one person is found to say a word in favor of this innocent victim, not a single man raises his hand in his defense. Jesus can now truly say: lama worm and no man; the reproach of men, and the outcast of the people. All they that saw me have laughed me to scorn. (Ps. 21:7)

Strange as it may appear to carnal men, these scorns and reproaches, these humiliations and insults showered down so profusely upon the King of heaven and earth, are in reality the best proofs of his victory, and the most precious trophies of his complete triumphs in his war against the false maxims of this deluded world.

Reflect, dear reader, that the kingdom which Jesus our Lord came to establish upon earth, is that of contempt for the honors and homages of men. He came to establish among men the reign of humility, meekness, patience, forbearance, and forgivness, in opposition to the spirit of pride, ambition, arrogance, oppression, revenge and persecution, which have tyrannized over the hearts of men since the fall of Adam. Such being the object of our Savior's incarnation, such being the end of his mission upon earth; by what means could this great teacher and king make us understand and appreciate better the spirit of this sublime and heavenly legislation, than by receiving slaps, and spittle upon his sacred face as tributes due to his person, by receiving sham adoration, derisions, blasphemies and maledictions, instead of homage, and by bearing all these insults, humiliations and outrages, with unconquerable meekness and superhuman patience? ... The mere sight of our Lord despised, dishonored and outraged by the impious and the wicked, shows at once who he really is, and what is the intended object of his mission to mankind. In beholding Jesus in the hall of Pilate, crowned with thorns, we learn that he is the Messias, the Savior, the King, who ransoms his people from the curse of sin, which made these thorns spring from the earth. In beholding this divine Lord, and sovereign king of heaven and earth, mocked, derided, slapped and spat upon, we learn from his example what virtues are expected from his followers, and what account we should make of the praises, honors and applause of men. In short, when we contemplate Jesus in his humiliations and sufferings, we learn the doctrines of his Gospel, more effectively than when we hear them preached by the most eloquent orators. Jesus, covered with wounds, Jesus crowned with thorns, Jesus defiled with spittle, Jesus bruised and bleeding from the soles of his feet to the top of his head, is the living mirror that faithfully represents to the eyes of Christian faith, the real condition of our fallen human nature, which he came to assume in order to cure and save us from temporal and eternal misery. From the extreme severity of the remedy, we practically learn the desperate condition of our spiritual malady. Our souls must have been frightfully wounded, and horribly degraded by sin, when it became necessary for our Redeemer to be scourged at the pillar, crowned with thorns, pierced with nails, mocked, derided, buffeted, spat upon in order to heal and cure them, and to lift them up from the trough of their degradation. "He became their Savior, the prophet says, in his love and in his mercy he redeemd them, and carried them, and lifted them up." (Is. 63:8)

Our merciful Lord having as we have seen, transferred his covenant from the ungrateful Jews to the Gentiles, and wishing to establish his Church among them, and unite her to himself as the inseparable spouse of his heart, he consented to assume her deformity represented in his wounds, and wash her in his blood, in order to communicate to her the divine beauty of his grace, and endow her with the immense treasure of his merits.

Hence, St. Paul says: "Christ is the head of the Church. He is the Savior of his body. He loved the Church and delivered himself for it, that he might sanctify it, cleansing it by the lover of water in the word of life, that he might present to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle, nor any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish." (Ephes. 5:25) Christ is the head of the Church, hence, to make her his spouse and our queen, he consented to be crowned with thorns. To exalt her to this sublime dignity and to merit for her the admiration of mankind, and the profound and sincere homage of his followers, he humbled himself, and meekly accepted in the hall of Pilate the mockeries, derisions, insults and outrages of the Roman soldiers. He is the Savior of his body. Hence, to heal the wounds of sin which he found in it, and to cleanse it of the accumulated filth of ages of crime, he subjected his own innocent body to the lashes of the scourge, to the bruises of blows, to the wounds of nails and spear. The blood and water, which issued from them, is the sacred laver, in which he cleanses our souls. The injustice of Pilate, the Roman Governor, and the cruel barbarity of his satellites, could not make him change his determination of establishing his Church among the Gentiles, and of fixing in Rome the throne of his universal dominion. During the painful hours of his passion, in his immediate contact with these Pagan Romans, our Lord has more closely watched their dispositions and character. In the Roman Governor, Pilate, our Lord observed wise maxims of government, foresight, respect for authority, fidelity to his imperial master, love of justice, a conciliatory disposition of character, regard for the rights and demands of the people. If Pilate hesitated in protecting our Lord's innocence, and reluctantly consented at last to his condemnation: it was through fear of offending the leading men of Judea, giving occasion to an apparently inevitable riot among the excited multitude, and a consequent revolution in that fickle and discontented people, and thus jeopardize the Roman authority in that province. If our wise and just Lord could not approve the weak and vacillating conduct of Pilate towards him; yet he understood and made due allowance for the circumstances, and the motives of his policy. Moreover, our Savior, in reward of the favorable disposition of Pilate towards him, had determined to show him mercy, and convert him to his faith. This conversion was accomplished through the prodigies wrought at his death and resurrection. It was according to Tertullian, in consequence and as a proof of his conversion that Pilate sent to the Emperor Tiberius in Rome, an official relation of all the events that took place during the passion, death and resurrection of our blessed Lord. The following are Tertullian's words: "Ea omnia super Christo Pilatus, et ipse jam pro sua conscientia christianus, Caesari tunc Tiberio nunciavit." (Apolog. Cap. 21)

The Mystery of the Crown of Thorns by a Passionist Father part 26.

CONTINUATION OF THE SAME SUBJECT

1. The monarchs of the earth, to enhance their dignity surround it with external emblems of power. They live in magnificent palaces; they sit on high thrones of gold; they clothe themselves in purple, they wear upon their heads golden diadems glistening with precious stones, and wield rich scepters in their hands. We have seen that our divine Lord is a prisoner in the hall of Pilate, where he is made to sit upon a hard stone for his throne, as a sham king: a crown of thorns has been placed upon his adorable head, and a reed of derision in his hands. Lastly, a cast off, old and ragged military cloak is thrown with contempt over his bleeding shoulders. These are the ironical insignia of royalty, which his enemies force upon our Lord to insult and degrade him before the people. But the wisdom and power of God turns to the honor and glory of Jesus all the insults and humiliations heaped upon him by wicked men. Had our blessed Lord received from their hands a new purple mantle, adorned with golden lace, and glittering with jewels, this would have made him appear like other kings of the earth, whose scarlet cloaks are often dyed in the blood of wars, oppression, and persecution. Having, however, been covered with an old cloak, cast off by other men, and crimsoned only in his own blood; this demonstrates that Jesus Christ is the only true King, who establishes and propagates his kingdom and saves his subjects by his own sufferings and personal humiliations, and redeems them with his life's blood. This scarlet cloak is a prophecy which announces him as the adored king of millions of glorious Martyrs, who will with truly heroic fortitude, endure all manner of tortures, and gladly shed the last drop of their heart's blood in his holy service, and for his dear sake. These are the noble soldiers of Jesus who fight for the defence and extension of his kingdom, and are always victorious and triumphant with him, not by shedding the blood of his enemies and of their own persecutors; but by sacrificing their own lives on the altar of his faith and love. "Venit Jesus non ut pugnet vivus, sed ut triumphet occisus." (St. Fulgentius serm. 3 de Epiph)

This scarlet cloak indicates another profound mystery of the kingdom of Jesus Christ. The Jewish nation had hitherto been selected by God as the center of his holy Religion. Jesus our Lord was born from, and among the Jews; he lived with them, preached to them his new covenant of grace, wrought miracles for their conversion. But they have refused to believe in his mission, they have rejected with scorn his heavenly doctrines, and finally, they have officially and publicly repudiated him before the Roman Governor, postponed him to Barabbas, and have with diabolical fury insisted that he should be put to death upon a cross. Unhappily for them, their impious request is now accomplished. The Jews have given up the person of our Lord, their true Messias, into the hands of the Roman soldiers. These have scourged him. Behold, now they strip him of that tunic which he originally received from his people. This mystic and miraculous tunic is the figure of the old covenant, which God made with their forefathers. Jesus being stripped of it through the hatred and malice of the Jews, they are now deprived of the rights and privileges of their holy religion, which is taken away from them at the same moment that our Lord is stripped of his garments. But, because the religion of God can never cease to exist among men, hence, it is immediately transferred from the Jews to the Gentiles with the scarlet cloak, which the latter put on the sacred shoulders of our Redeemer. This beautiful explanation is given by St. Jerome, who is recognized by the church as the best interpreter of the holy Scriptures. The following are his words. "Jesus is mystically stripped of his vestments, the Jews; and he is clothed with a purple mantle which is the church among the Gentiles." (St. Jerome. Com. in, Chap. 27 S. Matt) In fact St. Matthew says that: The soldiers of the Governor, taking Jesus into the hall, gathered together unto him the whole band, and stripping him, they put a scarlet cloak about him. (Mt. 27:27) These words so simple in their historical signification, express most admirably the transition of the true Religion of God from the Jews to the Gentiles. Observe how completely our Lord, the Teacher of all moral doctrines, and religious truths, is in the hands of the Gentiles. At his crowning of thorns, which must be considered his solemn installment as Head of the Church, our Lord is in the hall of the Roman Governor. Consequently in this particular circumstance, he is out of the power and jurisdiction of the Jews, as he foretold in these words: they, the Jews, shall deliver him to the Gentiles. (Mk. 10:33) According to the law of nations he is even outside of their territorial possessions, not only because the Jews are now under the civil dominion of the Romans, but because he is actually in the house of the representative of the Roman Emperor. It is in this Roman palace that our Lord is stripped of all the insignia of the ancient covenant made by God with the Jewish nation. It is in this Roman hall that he receives his crown, his scepter, his royal purple. It is in the Roman hall that all the Gentile nations are gathered in the persons of the Pagan soldiers round about him, to offer him their first homage as to the sovereign Lord and King of Christianity. "The soldiers of the governor, taking Jesus into the hall, gathered together unto him the whole band." The malicious intentions of those Roman soldiers cannot invalidate the decree and design of his divine will. He makes them act in spite of their actual dispositions, as his ministers and instruments, as the holy pope, and eloquent orator, St. Leo I says: (Serm. 3 de Passione.) St. Jerome also remarks that, "As the high Pontiff Caiphas, contrary to his intention, made a prophecy of our Redeemer, when he said that one man should die for the people. (Jn. 11:50) So these cruel Pagan soldiers, in spite of their dispositions, were executing wonderful mysteries of religion and salvation, when they tormented and derided our Savior at his crowning with thorns in the hall of the Roman Governor." (St. Jerome. Com. in Matt. Chap. 27) Holy Bede says the same. "Milites illudendo nobis operantur mysteria." (In Joan 10) And Sedulius more expressly affirms: "Sub regiae imaginis illusione, Magni gerebantur sacramenta mysterii." (Lib. 3. oper. Paschal) Great mysteries were accomplished when the Roman soldiers derided our Lord as a mock King. As St. Genesius became a real Christian and died a martyr by beginning, as a theatrical buffoon, to mimic in the Roman amphitheater the rite of Christian Baptism before the Emperor Diocletian; so these deluded men actually proclaimed Jesus our Lord, the King of the universe by their mock homage. We should also observe, that the scarlet cloak placed on the shoulders of our Lord was an old mantle cast off by the former owner. Behold here, how strikingly correct is every figure of the mysteries accomplished on this memorable occasion. Reflect, that our blessed Lord did not come upon earth to establish altogether a new religion. Christianity is essentially the same religion as that established by God among the Jews. Our Lord said to them: "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the Prophets. I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill." (Mt. 5:17) He came among the Jews to accomplish all the figures and prophecies, and to perfect all that was imperfect. But what is perfected is not destroyed or abolished. This mysterious fact is well expressed in the old cloak placed over the bleeding shoulders of our blessed Redeemer. Had he founded an entirely new religion, a new mantle should have been given him. But, as he came to purify in his sacred blood the old religion, and to make it perfect by assuming, practicing, and divinizing it in his human nature, he would consent to receive only an old scarlet cloak for his royal purple.

Again, this scarlet cloak had been cast away by the owner as useless. What could more fully express the conduct of the Jews, who paid scrupulous attention to superficial practices of their own invention, and neglected the essential duties of their holy religion? "Woe to you Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; who pay the tithe of mint, and anise and cumin; and have left alone the weightier things of the law, judgment, and mercy, and faith." (Mt. 23:23) After having cast off as an old garment these weightier things of their law and religion, the Jews now reject the Messias, who is the author of their religion and law. But Jesus takes this rejected garment upon his shoulders, purifies and sanctifies it with his divine blood. Thus, purified and sanctified, this sacred cloak of religion is transferred-from the perfidious Jews to the Gentiles, and thus Christianity is established among them.

The Mystery of the Crown of Thorns by a Passionist Father part 22.

THE SCARLET CLOAK

"They put a scarlet cloak about him." (Mt. 27:28)

We will now proceed to examine for a short time the meaning of the scarlet cloak which the malicious enemies of our Lord, Jesus Christ threw in derision over his bruised and bleeding shoulders.

In order to understand the mysterious significance of this extraordinary event, we should reflect that our first parents in the terrestrial paradise had no need of any material dress so long as they were clad and adorned with the-beautiful robe of original grace and innocence. The same should have been the happy condition of their posterity, had they persevered in their state of holiness. Innocent childhood alone partially enjoys this privilege now, and this only for a very short space of time. But the prevarication of Adam and Eve caused the rebellion of the flesh against the spirit and produced a general feeling of shame. All this combined with their expulsion from the Garden of Eden, and their perpetual exile to this cold region of the earth, imposed upon mankind the necessity of external dress. Dress then should be considered both the badge and the punishment of sinners. Here we may begin to understand the profound meaning of the scarlet cloak thrown over the shoulders of our divine Savior. Being essential holiness he could not assume the guilt, nor, strictly speaking feel the remorse of sin. But in his infinite mercy he could assume its appearance, and experience its temporal effects. Hence our Lord was first stripped of that sacred garment which he had received from the immaculate hands of his most holy Mother. Thus he was in appearance deprived of the essential attribute of his inseparable holiness. Then a soiled and worn out red cloak of a Pagan soldier was temporarily cast over his sacred shoulders. This cruel and humiliating insult was permitted by divine Wisdom to enable us to understand that our merciful Savior wished, through this action, to signify that he consented to assume the filthy dress of sin, deeply dyed in the blood and crimes of mankind during the long period of four thousand years. This is the admirable expression of the great Origen who said: "Suscipiens Dominus clamydem coccineam in se, sanguinem mundi, idest peccata suscepit." (Homil. 35 in Matt. 27:29)

In assuming and wearing before heaven and earth the degrading livery of sin, our dear Lord had also to bear the burning shame and confusion due to all sinners. He had moreover to endure a special mortification, and to feel a deep blush at the conduct of those worldly persons that boldly carry vice in triumph in the extravagance of public luxury in dress, in the ridiculous whims of modern fashions, and in the scandalous immodesty of unblushing vanity. Oh! If Christian men, and more especially if Christian women were able to reflect occasionally on the deep shame and confusion their criminal vanity and extravagance in dress caused our suffering Savior: they should remember that at the Baptismal font they were solemnly pledged to renounce worldly pomps and empty vanities and bound to appear in public, as St. Paul directs, "in decent apparel, adorning themselves with modesty and sobriety, and not with plaited hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array." (I Tim. 2:9) But alas! That modishness has affected the brain, and corrupted the heart of modern society, which disdains to listen to the voice of truth ...

Some courage and firmness of determination is certainly necessary to withstand the frothy, sweeping current of modern fashion, which carries away headlong so many thoughtless victims to the abyss of temporal ruin and eternal misery. But let more serious Christians reflect that our Lord Jesus Christ, by the shame and ignominy which he underwent in Pilate's hall, has sanctified modesty and has acquired for Christian society the necessary grace and strength for resisting the seductions of worldly vanity. By bearing the humiliation and the blushing shame of the old scarlet cloak, our blessed Savior has hallowed evangelical poverty, simplicity, humility and modesty in dress. This is one of the principal reasons why the poor, humble and modest habit of religious persons is generally honored and respected not only among real Christians but also by Pagans and by savages as daily experience teaches. Let us conclude with the opportune words addressed by the Prince of the Apostles to all Christian women. "Considering your chaste conversation with fear: whose adorning let it not be in the outward plaiting of the hair, or the wearing of gold, or the putting on of apparel; but in the hidden man of the heart, in the incorruptibility of a quiet and meek spirit, which is rich in the sight of God." (1 Pet. 3:2)

The Fathers of the Church in their enlightened zeal frequently inculcated these salutary lessons with such warmth of eloquent power, that made a deep and lasting impression on the minds of their Christian auditors. The effects of their sermons were evident on the modesty of Christian society. All our female saints and great servants of God, have been remarkable for their strict modesty and evangelical simplicity in dress. The bright example of the holy Empress, St. Pulcheria, the daughter, sister and wife of an emperor, that of St. Elizabeth, Queen of Portugal, of St. Margaret, Queen of Scotland, of St. Elizabeth of Hungary, of St. Bridget, Duchess of Sweden, of St. Frances of Rome, in short of all Christian female saints should convince us that modesty in dress is the most valuable ornament of a Christian lady. "Favor is deceitful," the Holy Ghost says, "and beauty is vain: The woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her works praise her in the gates." (Prov. 31:30)

May all men of the present frivolous age understand and appreciate the worth and beauty of Christian modesty. It will adorn them in life, it will comfort them in death, and finally it will-clothe them with a mantle of glory during an ever blessed eternity, "when the Lord will reform the body of our lowliness, and make it like the body of his glory," as St. Paul teaches. (Philip 3:21)