OCR Text |
Show PENANCE CHAINS WORN BY FATHER LEO , OT..' Evidence of the strictest adherence to the tenets of his faith, even to the following of the most ancient customs of the fathers of the Franciscan order, was found upon the person of Father Leo, slain at the altar of St. Elizabeth's church in Denver Sunday morning by Guiseppe Alio, in the shape of penance chains, consisting of a steel discipline girdle and similar armlets. These ringed bands are provided with sharp hoops to pierce the flesh, and their like has never before been seen in Denver. None of Father Leo's associates ever had seen these instruments of self-torture, for they are not customarily worn by members of religious orders in the United States of the present day. Several of the priests to whom they were shown exclaimed in wonder that a man could be so thorough-going in the pursuit of the tenets of the faith as to submit himself to the physical torture tor-ture of such an instrument of penance. Many remarked that they supposed such customs and girdles had passed away in the middle ages. But they gdzed upon the chains with reverence ana admiration for the man who thus submitted to the mortification of the flesh for thef purification of his soul. Father Leo's associates hold the chains as still further proof of the extreme ex-treme sanctity of the servant of the church who so tragically met his end while performing his religious duties?. At the intersection of the rings in both the armlets and the girdles are sharp hooks, so facing as to press into the f PENANCE CHAINS OF f FATHER LEO. 4- j Girdle and armlets, composed ot 4- steel rings and sharp hooks worn by the late priest for the morti- f heation of the flesh as a mean of "- penance. Considered by his church associates as further proof of. the f extreme sanctity of the murdered man. tjesh upon each movement of the wear-I er. The girdle for the full distance that i it traversed the abdomen of the wearer is dull red with the stain of blood, and gives evidence that it must have been in use tor years?. Whether Father Leo wore the penance chains upon all occasions occa-sions or only when upon the altar will i never be known. Prooabiy there were but two people in all the world who were cognizant of the fact that the dead priest wore these chains Father Leo and his father confessor. con-fessor. To impose such a penance, inflicting in-flicting physical torture upon himself, the individual, whether priest or layman, lay-man, must secure permission of the father confessor. And there is strong reason for this incorporated in the laws of the. church. It might be that the penitent, pen-itent, in inflicting the self-imposed penance, pen-ance, would exceed his physical strength and do himself some injury. These chains will be kept with reverence rever-ence in the monastery of the Franciscan fathers as mementos of the holy man who fell by the assassin's hand while performing his duties upon the altar of his faith. |