Leo XIV will be the first Pope to venerate the “sacred tunic” of Argenteuil

– Caroline de Sury, OSV News

The moment of veneration will take place on the night of Leo XIV's arrival in Paris, Friday, September 25, when he will go to the Stade de France—an emblematic place for the 2024 Olympic Games, located north of Paris, in the city of Saint-Denis— to participate in a Prayer vigil which will be attended by around 80,000 young people between the ages of 17 and 35. 

In that ceremony, the Pope will venerate the Holy Tunic of Argenteuil, immediately after praying Vespers with bishops, priests, deacons, consecrated men and women and seminarians in Notre Dame Cathedral, where the Pope is scheduled to pray before the crown of thorns. 

The Holy Tunic, from the basilica to the Vigil with the young people

The robe will be moved to the stadium from the basilica of Argenteuil especially for the event, a measure that local authorities have described as “exceptional”, “unprecedented” and “historic”.

“In modern times, the robe has never been officially removed from the basilica,” states the official website of Argenteuil. “This is a significant milestone, as (Pope) Leo XIV will be the first Pope to see it.”.

Revered as Christ's tunic in France for over 1,200 years

– Supernatural Holy Tunic of Argenteuil It has been venerated as the tunic of Christ in France for over 1,200 years. Emperor Charlemagne received it around the year 800 from Empress Irene of Constantinople. He entrusted it to his daughter Theodrada, abbess of Argenteuil Abbey. 

During the following centuries, the village of Argenteuil became an important pilgrimage site in France, attracting kings and queens eager to venerate the tunic, including Saint Louis in the 13th century.

During the French Revolution, the parish priest of Argenteuil cut the tunic into pieces to better conceal it and protect it from looting by the revolutionaries. In the 19th century, it was almost completely reconstructed and placed in a special reliquary inside the new Basilica of Saint-Denis in Argenteuil. 

In Pontoise, 200,000 pilgrims attended the last public exhibition

From then on, it was exhibited for public veneration every 50 years, until, after its restoration in 2016, it was decided not to wait so long between each exhibition.

In April and May of 2025, the Diocese of Pontoise organized the final special public exhibition for the Jubilee of Hope. The event generated enormous enthusiasm, attracting over 200,000 pilgrims of all ages and backgrounds. 

Special reliquary of the Parisian carpenter Gabriel Hostachy

Since July, Gabriel Hostachy, a 39-year-old Parisian carpenter and practicing Catholic, has been working on preparing a special reliquary for the exhibition commemorating the papal presence. 

Made of oak and linden wood, with a glass panel that allows you to see the robe, it measures more than 3.6 meters in height and was designed to resist any attempt at theft.

The bloodstains, of the same type as those on the Shroud of Turin

The tunic is made of brown wool. It measures 1.2 meters long and 0.9 meters wide. Recent scientific research results vary, but agree that the fabric is contemporary with Eastern textiles from the early centuries of the Christian era. The bloodstains it bears are of the same type as those on the Shroud of Turin.

Originally seamless, the tunic is often presented as an opportunity to pray for Christian unity, in remembrance of the moment when Christ's garments were divided during his crucifixion, when the soldiers decided not to "tear it," as the Gospel of John recounts: 

“Let’s not tear it, but cast lots to see whose it will be,” the soldiers said to one another, “so that what is written in Scripture might be fulfilled: ‘They divided my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.’”.

Christian unity

Bishop Benoît Bertrand de Pontoise, who officially holds the title of “Guardian of the Holy Tunic», since Argenteuil is in his diocese, attaches great importance to the concern for Christian unity.

In fact, while the last public exhibition of the tunic, Many of the cardinals who had planned to attend were unable to do so, as they were summoned to Rome for the conclave.

The demonstration, “intense prayer” for the Church and the future Pope

The disappointment over the lack of a celebration for the display of the robe in the presence of the most important cardinals turned into "an intense prayer for the Church and for the future Pope," the Bishop of Pontoise told OSV News at the time.

The theme of unity will be central during the vigil at the stadium, which will bring together young people from diverse social backgrounds. A large number of young Catholics from the Diocese of Saint-Denis, known for its working-class neighborhoods with a significant immigrant population, will be present, along with some of their non-Christian friends. 

Tickets sold out within minutes

Many young people from Paris and other dioceses will also attend, including some who regularly attend charismatic communities or participate in the Pentecost pilgrimage from Paris to Chartres, which takes place after the Latin Mass.

In August, tickets to attend the vigil with the Pope sold out within minutes of registration opening. Therefore, many young people will watch it via video on Friday evening during events organized by parishes or Catholic schools.

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– Caroline de Sury writes for OSV News from Paris.

This information was originally published by OSV News. You can consult it. here.