Show HoI Holy y Purple Tunic of Christ Will ill Be Exhibited as Holy Year Climax ARGENTEUIL France UP UP The The holy tunic of Christ will be exhibit exhibit- ed d to the public in the Church of or Ar Ar- as a fitting close to the hol holy year ear commemorating the ann ann annl- ersary of the crucifixion and with the he authority of Pope Pius XI It will wm willbe wille be e on view from Good Friday to Easer Easter Enster Ens- Ens ter er Sunday March 30 to April 1 1934 This Is the garment supposedly worn vorn and colored by the Virgin Mary herself herselt and is about 40 inches lon long resembling a shirt and spotted with blood lood and sweat It is made of wool is s purple in color and St St. Mark chaper chap chap- ter er 15 15 verse 17 refers to it Jt as follows And they clothed him with purple It t is made without a Seam eam and Is probably the seamless robe referred re- re erred to in the gospels According to ecclesiastical authorIties author author- ties Hies this holy tunic was worn by Jesus on His way to Calvary what is believed to be a definite trace of ot the cross proceeds from the right shoulder der downward diagonally across s the back jack Experts of the Tapestry Tapestry Tapes Tapes- try ry Works who examined the tunic In n 1892 estimate that it dates back bock to the beginnings of the Ch Christian era and perhaps beyond There are very few authentic relics of Jesus left and the tunic of Argen Argon teu is one of three three the the other two being icing at Treves Germany and Turin Italy taly They have been exhibited to the faithful during 1933 but as a climax to holy year the Argenteuil relic will be exhibited This is the first time this has been permitted since 1829 Canon Louis Breton of the Argen Argen- church said This holy tunic was discovered by Empress Saint Helene in A. A D. D about the same time she found the thc true cross It remained In Constantinople until the ninth century when Empress Irene who needed soldiers to fi fight ht the caliph presented it to Charlemagne the great king who In turn made madea maden a n gift gilt of it to his daughter benefactress of the priory of ArgenteuiL Argen Argen- Consequently it has been in more than a millennium It was officially recognized as authentic authentic au nu- au- au by Hugues dAmien archbishop op of Rouen in 1156 Thanks to careful careful careful care care- ful treatment the tunic remained intact intact in in- tact until 1791 1701 when It became necessary necessary necessary sary to repair portions of it Since 1827 it has been kept in a reliquary in the church |