Reliquaries + Saints
Love, Dylan
Created on March 2, 2023
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Transcript
BUT What is a Reliquary?
We're glad you asked. Relics were placed in containers called reliquaries.Most people never actually saw a relic! They saw the reliquaries which enclosed them. Reliquaries came in a variety of shapes and sizes:
The Head of St. Eustance Reliquary
In early Christianity, a relic was a fragment of a saint’s body. These relics are called bodily relics. They were usually a saint's bones, teeth, and hair.
Some reliquaries, like this one, were shaped to depict the relic inside.
This reliquary can be interpreted as a restoration of one of its relics (part of the head of St. Eustace) to a more lifelike state.
The St Eustace Head Reliquary, n.d., British Museum: https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/H_1850-1127-1
Unknown Hand Reliquary
In early Christianity, a relic was a fragment of a saint’s body. These relics are called bodily relics. They were usually a saint's bones, teeth, and hair.
Others reliquaries, like this one, can be interpreted as symbolic in shape. Most hand-shaped reliquaries did not contain relics of hands or fingers.
The hand represented the physical presence and touch of the saint.
Hand Reliquary, n.d., Victoria and Albert Museum, V&A: https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O69108/reliquary-unknown/
This reliquary is actually missing its relics, which would have been displayed behind the crystal in these rings.
The Holy Thorn Reliquary
In early Christianity, a relic was a fragment of a saint’s body. These relics are called bodily relics. They were usually a saint's bones, teeth, and hair.
The Holy Thorn Reliquary, n.d., British Museum: https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/H_WB-67
Reliquaries could also be shaped to display their relics. As we will see, the display of relics demonstrated how they could be a sign of power and prestige.
It may be difficult to see, but above is a single thorn supposedly from the Crown of Thorns Jesus wore as he was crucified.