Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1891-10-02
HOLY COAT OF TREvES.
THE RELIC BEFORE WHICH
THOUSANDS KNEEL.
Millions Have Worshlpped mt Its Shrine
And Miraculous Cures are As
cribed to It-Argenteuils
Holy Coat.

ule layer ls the coat ltsell. III Is
shirt-like garment, with short loose
sleeves. Last year committee of ex-
perts who examined the relic, made q
report which described the garment
as pieces OF cloth material hanging
together. spread out between upper
and lower layers" gauze covering
is the third layer. There are also
pointed pieces OF silken material. with
out any pattern. between the front and
back.
1t is a texture of brownish dye "
said the committee of experts refer
ring to the coat. without pattern to
all appearance of linen or cotton
wool" A microscopic examination
showed difference of the coat from
the outside and inside layers. The
coat being without any pattern, it was
impossible to form an opinion as TO the
date of its manufacture. The experts
said the coverings. the inside and out
side layers, must have been made in
the east before the ninth century, per-
haps as early as the fifth or sixth.
The tradition OF the Catholic church
is that the Empress Helena miracu-
lousy discovered many Of the relics of
Christ's passion in Palestine. These
included the cross, the nails, the crown
Of thorns, the lance. the winding sheet
which enveloped the body, and the
coat without seams. On her return
to Treves, or Augusta Treviorum. as
it was called, the western capital of
the Roman empire, the Empress pre-
sented to the cathedral the coat one
of the nails, and portion OF the
crown of thorns. In 324 these relics
were committed 10 the care of Agricius.
Bishop of Treves. and every one of
his successors has carefully guarded
them. When the relics arrived at the
cathedral they were placed In the
choir and for many centuries we're the
objects of the devotion of millions of
pilgrims from all parts of the Chris
tan world. In 1896 the relics were
transferred to the high alter where
they were built in after having been
examined and attested in the presence
Of large number of Bishops and
clergy, the magistrates and mobiles OF
the city, and eminent men from all
parts of the world. They were en-
closed in three iron chests, one within
the other and each securely fastened
and sealed with the official seals of the
principal men present. More than
three centuries after this they were
again exposed for public veneration.
After an exposition that lasted forty
days they were once more sealed
and walled up within the high altar.
During the sixteenth century the relics
were exposed several times for public
generation, and on every occasion
thousands OF pilgrims fiocked from all
parts. and numerous miracles were
reported to have been wrought. Dur
ing the wars OF the seventeenth and
eighteenth centuries the relics were
sent for safety TO the castle of Ehrcn-
breitstein, on the Rhine. and later TO
Augsburg. In 1910, Napoleon ]. gave
permission TO the bishop OF Treves TO
transfer them to Treves; 200. 900 pill
grims attended the exposition on that
occasion.
Argenteuil. small town TO the
northwest of Paris claims 10 possess
the seamless garment OF Christ for
which the Roman soldiers cast lots,
and which WAS worn next TO the body.
Those who claim Argenteuil has the
seamless garment say that the Treves
relic was one of the outer garments
worn by Christ The Argenteuil. gar
ment is about five feet long by three
and a half feet wide. The left sleeve
Is missing, and large piece has been
taken from the left side. The garment
is hand woven, and is OF camel's hair.
1t lies in casket, and has reddish
tone like that Of a dried rose.
Catholic writer's say that this gar
ment was bought by Christ's disciples
after the cruciiiXion and was concealed
in church in Galatia. At the time
of the Persian invasion of Asia Minor
it was saved from destruction by q jew
named Simeon who gave it to Helena
the mother OF tie Emperor Constantine.
Charlemagne finally received it from
the Empress Irene, and he presented
il To the convent OF Argenteuil. o
which one of his daughters was abbess.
Every afternoon from Ascension day
to Whit Monday the shrine in which
this garment is kept is carried in pro
cession through the Argenteuil church.
The garment is exhibited in its entirety
only at rare intervals, as it is placed
under seal by the Bishop OF Versailles,
in whose diocese Argenteuil is. He
alone has authority, with the sanction
of the Pope. TO open the casket.
Thirty-iive years ago Pope Plus TX.
secured small fragment of the gar.
ment, and the other two small pieces
were cut of at the same time. These
pieces are in two small Baskets which
the faithful are allowed to kiss while
kneeling at the altar. il is said thai
the garment has recently beer exam
ined by microscope. and that trace:
of what was believed TO be blood were
found on il Miraculous cures arc al.
legged to have been effected by thi.
relic Lord Clifford's eldest son. the
do he -. ,s