Relic — Middle Ages

The story behind the answer

The ornate container shown is a reliquary, designed to hold a holy object: the physical remains or personal belongings of a saint or martyr. In medieval Christendom, such sacred items were believed to mediate divine grace and miracles, drawing pilgrims whose donations funded churches and towns. To honor and protect them, artisans fashioned reliquaries from gold, silver, and gems—often in the shape of the body part they enclosed, like a hand or skull.

Clergy distinguished types: first-class (remains such as bones), second-class (objects used by the saint), and third-class (items touched to a first-class example). Public displays, processions, and “translation” ceremonies gave these treasures central roles in medieval faith and culture.