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NOTES AND NEWS.
A Piece of the "Cro88." The problem of the “Martese Treasure." which has created a great deal of excitement in Russian emigre circles appears to be solved,
The Mattese Treasure consists of two golden caskets, in which the most costly rubies and supphires are inlaid. The one contains, it is claimed, a piece of the cross on which Christ was crucified. The other contains a golden icon alleged to have been painted by St. Luke, the Evar.gelist, and also other sacred objects, including the remains of a supposed finger of John tle Baptist.
This treasure, which for centuries had been in the possession of the Knights of St. John of Malta was handed over by them to Paul I, of Russia, who at the time was their Grand Master, after the island had been grabbed away from them deceitfully by Napoleon in 1798.
: The Maltese Treasure then remained in the possession of the Imperial Russian Family until the Bolshevist Revolution.' The Queen Mother, Maria, Feodorovna, who died recently in Denmark, when she escaped to Copenhagen, managed to take the treasure with her. At her death the Metropolitan Antonius was enirusted with the treasure, which, it is said, was to be transported to Balgrade for safe custody. He, however, brought it to his newly built Russian Orthodox Church in Berlin.
Then came the trouble. The first party to claim the treasure were the Bolshevik, who declared that it was State property stolen from Russia. Another claim was made by the Order of St. John of Malta. Antonius, for his part, attempted to find justification for keeping the Maltese treasure in Berlin.
Bishop Tichon, the head of the new Russian Orthodox Church declares that negotiatioas with Belgrade have come to a şuccessful conclusion; and that King Alexander is willing to place the Maltese Treasure in his royal palaces until the time comes when a new regime is established in Russia.
Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat
www.umaragyanbhandar.com
