8 of the world's holiest relics
From Buddha’s tooth to Muhammad’s beard to anything involving Jesus Christ and his crucifixion, holy relics are highly sought-after artefacts by believers of all countries and creeds.
Image: The Crown of Thorns | Vladimir Pomortzeff / Alamy Stock Photo
Holy Marvels with Dennis Quaid illuminates the remarkable history, perplexing mysteries, and legendary journeys behind some of the world’s most sacred and holy relics. The series shares incredible tales of faith, devotion, and divine intervention tied to coveted objects.
The show starts Monday, 25th November on Sky HISTORY.
Relics are generally defined as the physical remains, raiment or objects touched by a saint, prophet, apostle or other important religious figure. They are most commonly associated with Christianity, though relics from other creeds and belief systems are also widely found throughout the world.
As well as being the physical embodiment of the religion in question, relics are also often believed to carry certain miraculous properties and qualities. For these reasons, they have been hugely popular in times ancient and modern, with countless people making it their life goal to either discover relics or visit them as the destination of a pilgrimage. Here are eight of the most famous from all over the globe.
1. The Turin Shroud
First discovered in 14th century France by a medieval knight, the Turin Shroud is a 4.4-metre length of linen believed to be the material used to cover Jesus after he was taken down from the cross. It bears a likeness of a bearded man matching Christ’s description, as well as stains consistent with his wounds.
Despite having been denounced as a forgery within 50 years of its discovery, and later confirmed to be so from advanced scientific testing in the 1980s, the Turin Shroud remains an important relic for Christians the world over. It is currently housed behind bulletproof glass in the Cathedral of Turin in the north of Italy.
2. The True Cross
The cross upon which Jesus was crucified is, understandably, just as sought-after as the winding sheet which covered him after death. According to legend, the True Cross was excavated at the site of execution centuries after the fact by Helena Augusta, mother of the Roman Emperor Constantine.
This version of events was popularised by its inclusion in a 13th-century tome called The Golden Legend, written by Italian chronicler Jacopo de Voragine. However, the fact that de Voragine also made famous the widely debunked myth of St George’s encounter with the dragon means it can be taken with a healthy pinch of salt. What’s more, the proliferation of so-called pieces of the True Cross all over the world led reformer John Calvin to scoff that so much wood would build a boat, not just a cross.
3. The Crown of Thorns
Are you sensing a theme developing here? Another of the most popular holy relics from history has to do with Christ’s crucifixion – and this time it’s the Crown of Thorns that was placed on the messiah’s head between Maundy Thursday and Good Friday prior to his execution.
Today, the Crown of Thorns can be found in Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, where it is displayed as a circlet of canes held together by golden threads, to which the thorns were formerly attached. Notre Dame also houses a piece of the True Cross and a Nail of the Passion, so it’s an excellent place to tick off several relics at once.
4. The Holy Lance
Also known as the Spear of Destiny, the Holy Lance was used to verify whether Christ was dead on the cross. Apparently, Romans were in the habit of breaking the legs of crucified people to speed up their demise, but on noticing that Jesus showed no signs of life, they decided to jab him in the ribs with the lance instead – drawing blood and confirming death in the process.
Today, there is some dispute as to where the real Holy Lance is located. There are spears purporting to be the real deal in Armenia, Austria, Italy and Poland – but the Viennese one is the most famous.
5. The Seamless Robe of Christ
Another highly prized artefact associated with the crucifixion is the Seamless Robe of Christ, which is apparently the garment he was wearing shortly before being crucified. Unlike his other clothing, the Robe was not torn up and shared out amongst the Roman soldiers as spoils of their deed, but instead they drew lots so as not to create seams where there had previously been none.
The identity of the lucky winner of the Robe has been lost in the mists of time, but it later turned up in the 4th century thanks to the efforts of Helena once more. She reportedly bequeathed it to the city of Trier, where it remains today. The history of the Trier Robe can only be ascertained as far back as the 12th century and no modern testing has been conducted upon it, leading to doubts about its authenticity.
6. The Holy Grail
The Holy Grail is most commonly believed to be the cup, bowl or plate from which Jesus ate and drank during the infamous Last Supper. It has been the focus of countless epic tales in folklore and literature, ranging from ancient times to modern.
The Grail and the quest to locate it featured heavily in the myths surrounding King Arthur, though it’s not clear whether Arthur ever existed in the first place. The Grail’s prominence in cinematic creations such as Indiana Jones and Monty Python has popularised it even more – but also blurred the lines between truth and legend.
7. The Tooth of Buddha
Christianity may lay claim to the most famous holy relics around the world, but it doesn’t have a monopoly on the subject. Relics of the Buddha abound, including a hair that can allegedly move of its own volition and 10,000 crystals that were apparently found amongst his ashes. The most famous, however, are the prophet’s teeth.
There is purportedly one of his teeth in Singapore and another in Sri Lanka, but the most impressive and outlandish is, without a doubt, to be found in Rosemead, California. This one has reportedly never stopped growing and has, as a result, reached two inches in length and 2,500 years in age.
8. The Beard of Mohammed
While stricter sects of Islam may deem the very concept of relic worshipping to be nothing more than idolatry, it’s undeniable that such relics are venerated by great swathes of the Muslim population. Topkapi Palace in Istanbul is a veritable hotbed of the stuff, given that it houses several different items associated with the great prophet Mohammed.
It too has a tooth that he supposedly lost in battle, as well as the swords he used to wage it and the sandals he wore to reach it. But perhaps the zaniest relics on display are the strands of his beard hair housed in a glass reliquary, which were apparently shaved off by his favourite barber, Salman the Persian, and kept for posterity.
