a crown of thorns

While we're on the subject of Civil War history, here's a snippet from a Catholic blogger, speaking of Jefferson Davis' imprisonment in Massachusetts awaiting trial:

While sitting in prison awaiting a trial for treason (a trial which would never come), Jefferson Davis, former President of the Confederate States of America and not a Catholic, received a gift of consolation from His Holiness Pope Pius IX. The gift was a crown of thorns (with thorns measuring two inches long) woven by the pope himself and an portrait of the Vicar of Christ, autographed with the words from Holy Scripture, "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." The crown of thorns and the portrait are both on display at the Confederate Museum in New Orleans, LA.

I had heard this story before, but was only recently able to trace the provenance of it. Enjoy!