Medieval Beliefs

Question 1

Angels and Demons

Answer 1

St. Catherine of Siena demon dolls

Hell and demons very much a reality not belief

Visions: are they from heaven or hell?

Question 2

Relics

Answer 2

Relics and reliquaries of the “very special dead”

Primary (body) vs secondary relics

Relics of the “True Cross” (forest, ship)

Milky Way - Shrine of Our Lady, Walsingham
Holy Prepuce - Calcata, Italy

Relic cults reshape sacred geography of Roman world

Question 3

Relics as power

Answer 3

Medieval relic translations

“All things needed for worship of the church, namely sacred vessels”

787 Second Council of Nicaea requires use of relics for consecration

Private collectors also, especially kings

Question 4

Medieval relic thefts “furta sacra”

Answer 4

100 theft accounts from 800-12th century

Role of narrative

1204 sack of Christian Constantinople by crusaders

Question 5

Relics, cult, pilgrimage as big business

Answer 5

Souvenirs and badges

Sometimes literal - tapeworm, ear fragment, finger bone

Pilgrimage in shackles with murder weapon as penalty

Relics inspire pilgrimages become basis for cults, spiritual and economic power of churches