The Holy Blood: King Henry III and the Westminster Blood Relic

ISBN-13: 9780521571289 / Angielski / Twarda / 2002 / 270 str.

Nicholas Vincent

Opis

This is the first attempt to investigate the background to the gift of the Holy Blood to Westminster by King Henry III in 1247. Recently the archives of Westminster Abbey have yielded important new material relating to this extraordinary event, including a letter from the patriarch of Jerusalem that describes the relic in detail. This study offers both a commentary on this newly-discovered letter, and an overview of the extraordinary history of the relics of Christ's blood, their origin, distribution, and place in popular devotion.

Recenzje

'… this book is a solid work of scholarship, which makes a real contribution to appreciations of late medieval devotion. … This is a book of considerable interest, and impressive scholarship. Vincent has plundered a staggering range of material, reflected in detailed and extensive footnoting. At first the narrow title and somewhat esoteric focus might suggest that this is a book of limited appeal. Far from it: it certainly deserves to be read, and is highly readable. Interesting and enjoyable, it makes important contributions to understanding the Christocentric emphasis in the late medieval catholic devotion … a valuable and stimulating statement.' Heythrop Journal

Spis treści

Acknowledgements; 1. Introduction; 2. The ceremony of 1247; 3. The patriarch's letters; 4. The Holy Blood; 5. The scholastic debate; 6. Two commentaries: John Hus and William Sudbury; 7. The rivals: Hailes, Ashridge, Glastonbury; 8. The indulgences and the reliquary; Epilogue; Appendices; Bibliography; Index.