For the First Time in Papal History: Pope Francis XIV Sees 'The Holy Tunic' with His Own Eyes

In a precedent never before seen in the history of the Catholic Church, His Holiness Pope Francis XIV is set to become the first pope to witness the display of the "Holy Tunic," the garment worn by Christ during his Passion, preserved for over 1,200 years in the Basilica of Saint-Denis in the French town of Argentueil, according to church sources on September 24, 2026.

This rare relic is displayed periodically every fifty years and occasionally during exceptional occasions, most recently in 2023. However, it has never been brought before a pope—until tomorrow, September 25, when the tunic will be unveiled at the conclusion of a prayer vigil with youth at the Stade de France in the northern suburbs of Paris, as part of the pope’s intensive apostolic visit to France.

Over 80,000 French young people have registered to attend the prayer vigil, while Father Guillaume Emmanuel Cariou, former president of the Basilica of Argentueil, stated that Francis XIV will be the first pope to see the tunic since Saint Peter. Although this description may seem exaggerated, it is certain that no papal visit accompanied by such an exceptional display of the tunic has ever occurred before.

This initiative also stems from the short distance between the Basilica of Argentueil and the Stade de France—just about 3.7 miles apart—and the sacred tunic will be transported across this stretch under extremely tight security measures, heightened by the memory of its theft in 1983, when the relic disappeared for several months. Therefore, the route the tunic will follow remains secret, with ground and aerial surveillance to ensure the transfer occurs under optimal security conditions.

The Holy Tunic has been kept in Argentueil for over 1,200 years and is one of several relics associated with Christ’s Passion preserved in France. In Paris’s Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Crown of Thorns is kept, while the Holy Face Veil of Jesus is preserved in the city of Cahors.

The earliest known mention of the tunic appears in the sixth-century work "Glory of the Martyrs and Saints" by Gregory the Tourist, who noted that Christ’s undyed tunic was kept in Galatia, inside a church dedicated to the holy archangels, approximately 120 miles from Constantinople. However, the seventh-century "Chronicle of Fredegar" places the tunic in Sepphoris, not far from Jerusalem.

Later, the tunic came into the possession of the Byzantine Empress Irene, who presented it to Charlemagne in 800 to mark his coronation as the first Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. In turn, Charlemagne gifted the tunic to the Abbey of Argentueil, where his daughter Theudrade served as abbess. A document known as the "Charta Hugonis," dated 1156, confirms that the tunic had long been kept in the Basilica of Argentueil.

Throughout the centuries, the tunic was hidden to protect it from the Normans, and later from the Huguenots. During the French Revolution, to save it from anti-Church persecution, Father Auzou, the parish priest of Argentueil, cut the tunic into pieces and concealed them. These fragments were later reassembled, though some parts were lost.

Other fragments of the tunic are preserved in various locations, including the so-called "Tunic of Trier" in Germany, documented since 1072 and believed to be one of the relics brought by Saint Helena from the Holy Land. However, researchers have been unable to determine its exact origin and date due to its deteriorated condition and extensive restoration work over the centuries.