santaspina montone in The crown was finally sent to Paris where during a solemn procession in which King Louis IX walked barefoot dressed as a penitent, it was banded to hte archbishop of Paris. In 1248, the Crown was kept in the Sainte Chapelle built by Saint Louis. Today the crown is kept in Notre Dame where, however, it no longer has any thorns. Between 1470 and 1477 Carlo Fortebracci, Count of Montone, having inherited his military skills from his father Braccio, fought the Turks at the head of the Venetian armies. In recognition for his achievements, he was given one of the thorns from the Holy Crown and brought it back to Montone as a gift to its people. He also decreed that the gift of the Holy thorn be celebrated every Easter Monday. Legend has in that, every Good Friday, the thorn flowered and released a sweet scent. Such was the veneration for this relic and so numerous were the pilgrims wishing to seee it, that, for reason of public order, a second showing of the thorn was decreed in the early VI century.
Since 1798 when the church of Saint Francis burned down, the thorn has be kept in its silver display in the convent of Saint Agnes. The Gift of the Holy Thorn is celebrated every year on Easter monday and the penultimate Sunday in august.