Foreign News: Old Clothes Duke

That the Virgin Mary was never entombed but was taken bodily to Heaven is a belief celebrated in the greatest art and defined by the Catholic Church as “a probable opinion, which it is impious to deny, though not an article of faith.”

One who would never think of denying it is His Most Catholic Majesty Alfonso XIII, King of Spain, who piously celebrates the Vigil of the Assumption every year, then takes off the clothes he wore while celebrating, sends them to the Duque de Hijar.

In Madrid last week the Old Clothes Duke, Don Alfonso de Silva y Campbell. 15th of his line, died, was succeeded by his son Alfonso. Since the 15th Century the family of Hijar have been collecting cast-off Royal garments, esteem this a great and (by association of ideas) holy privilege, guard as their most precious treasure hundreds of old Royal Vigil uniforms.