As part of the Jubilee Year of Hope, the garment that Jesus is said to have worn during the Passion was on display -- which is a rare occurrence! -- for 10 days in the Basilica of Argenteuil on the outskirts of Paris.
Considering the wonderful occasion -- happening at the same time as the announcement of the new pope Leo XIV -- you can learn more about this holy relic thanks to the official French site, and our own visit to the beautiful basilica.
At first glance, it may appear to be nothing more than a fragile piece of ancient cloth. And yet, the Holy Tunic of Argenteuil carries with it a history so rich, so layered, that its very threads seem to weave through the centuries. According to tradition, this is the very garment worn by Christ from the Last Supper to the foot of the Cross — a simple tunic, woven in one piece, and referenced explicitly in the Gospel of John (19:23-24). .
"They also took his tunic, but the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from the top down. So they said to one another, 'Let’s not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it will be...'"
That brief line, often read during Holy Week, becomes startlingly real when standing before this relic — tangible, textured, and worn by time.
Though the early centuries of its journey remain cloaked in mystery, the Holy Tunic is believed to have been safeguarded in the East before finding its way to the West through an extraordinary gift, according to the official site of the Holy Tunic.
In the 8th century, the Empress Irene of Byzantium sent the Tunic to Charlemagne as part of a diplomatic mission. Charlemagne, understanding its significance, entrusted it to his daughter Théodrade, a nun in the monastery at Argenteuil. And so, the Tunic arrived in France — on August 12, the year 800, at 1 p.m. (a strangely impressive recording!) if local tradition is to be believed.
Surviving a revolution
Since then, it has weathered centuries of upheaval: invasions, revolutions, even a theft in 1984. At one point, it was hidden inside a monastery wall; at another, cut into pieces for safekeeping during the French Revolution. And yet, it endured.
Far from resting only on legend, the relic has been subject to rigorous scientific investigation. Analyses of pollen, fabric weave, and microscopic particles place it firmly in the 1st-century Middle East. Blood tests reveal the rare AB blood type -- shared, strikingly, with the Shroud of Turin and the Sudarium of Oviedo. While carbon dating offers a more cautious window of 530–650 AD, researchers acknowledge that centuries of water, mold, and fire damage may skew results.
What draws people to this relic isn’t merely its historical or scientific interest. It’s the quiet way it speaks to the soul. The Holy Tunic is more than cloth — it’s a symbol of unity, sacrifice, and presence. A humble reminder that holiness often comes not in grand declarations, but in things small, worn, and enduring.
To see some pictures from the Basilica of Argenteuil, and the Holy Tunic itself, click on the slideshow below:
