Colobium sindonis

The colobium sindonis (Latin for "shroud tunic") is a simple sleeveless white linen shift worn by British Monarchs during part of the Coronation service. It symbolises divesting oneself of all worldly vanity and standing bare before God.[1]

Detail from an engraving made by Francis Sandford (1630-1694), depicting the regalia of for the coronation of King James II, showing the colobium sindonis.

Following the anointing in the coronation service, the colobium sindonis is placed over the monarch's clothes, and then the supertunica, a long robe of gold brocade, is placed over that. Wearing these garments, the monarch is invested with the regalia, crowned and enthroned.[2] Both garments are removed before the final procession out of the abbey. Both of these robes are of very ancient design; those used by the medieval kings of England were said to have been used by King Edward the Confessor at his coronation in 1043, however these were destroyed by the Parliamentarians after the English Civil War.[3] In modern times, a new colobium sindonis has been made for each coronation.[4]

References

  1. "CS". Fashion-era. Retrieved 31 January 2012.
  2. Gosling, Lucinda (2013). Royal Coronations. Oxford: Shire. p. 38. ISBN 978-0-74781-220-3.
  3. Gosling pp. 42-43
  4. Rose, Tessa (1992). The Coronation Ceremony of the Kings and Queens of England and the Crown Jewels. London: HMSO. p. 100. ISBN 978-0-11-701361-2.

See also


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