Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1894-06-10
ARsEN rEUIL's HOLY COAT.
A Celebrated Relic 10 which PilgrimAses
Are Now Being Made In France.

A Celebrated Relic 10 which Pilgrimages
Are Now Being Made In France.
N.ag York Herald.
The holy coat now being exhibited at
Argenteuil. a small town to the north
west of Paris famous for its asparagus
beds and fg-trees, is declared to be the
veritable seamless garment or tunlc
(sadin) which the Saviour wore at the
crucifxion. The story related concern
ing IL is briefly as follows: 1t was pur-
chased by the disciples after the cruel
txion and concealed 10 a church In
Galatia. At the time of the Persian
invasion Of Asia Minor it was preserved
from destruction by one Simeon, and by
him handed over at Jaffa TO st. Helena
the mother OF the Emperor Constan-
tine. Finally it was given by the
Empress Irene to Charlemagne, who
presented 1t about 500 A. d. to the
Convent OF Argenteuil, OF which one OF
his daughters was aboess.
ITS PRESENT APPEARANCE.
The actual condition of the famous
relic is very imperfect The whole OF the
left sleeve is missing and a large piece
has been taken out OF the same sioe.
The tunic is about five feet long by three
and a half broad. 1t is hand-woven aud
made OF came's hair, very similar 10
the dalmatos now worn oy oinclatlhs
priests. As seen in the casket In when
it reposes it appears TO be almost oIacH,
Int when looked at in the light 1t has a
red tint like that of dried rose. Inc
shrine within which it is kept is carried
In procession through the church every
afternoon from AsCension-Day to
Whit Monday, the congregation being
aftarward admitted to view 1t In the
yestry. but an exhibition OF the tunlc
in It's entirety is very rare event. Inc
garment is placed under seal by the
Bishop of Versailles in whose diocese
Argenteuil is. and he alUne has author
ity, with the sanction OF the POPE, 10
open the casket. The last time that
this was dono nearly forty years ago,
when Pope Plus N. desired to have a
small fragment OF the tunic, two other
small pieces being cut out OF 1t at the
same time.
THE RIVAL COAT OF TREvEs.
Argenteuil is not the only town which
boasts OF possessing a garment worn by
the Redeemer. A score OF other places
claim to be favored in the same way.
or these rival coats the most famous
is that of Treves, which is also said to
have come into the hands OF the Empress
Helena during her travels in Palestine
and to have been given by her In the
early part of the fourth century to the
Church at Treves. The rivalry between
the champions OF the two relics was
settled for a time by an authoritative
declaration that three garments were
probably worn on this solemn occasion
"a tunic near the SKIN, robe aud
cloak-and that Argenteuil was quite
within its right in exhibiting one OF
them. In 1891, however, on the occa-
sion OF the exhibition OF
the Treves coat, the controversy
broke out again with renewed vigor.
The Bishop of Versailles then sent rep
resentatives to Treves for the purpose
OF comparing the two treasures, and
after comparison il was decided that
both relics were genuine, but belonged
to different years Of Christ's existence.
Treves, it is held, possesses one OF the
outer garments (the simba or chetoneth)
worn our Lord, but Argenteuil has the
tunic which was worn next the body at
the crucifxion, and for which the
Roman soldiers cast lots