What is a “saint’s shrine” often used for?

The story behind the answer

Medieval shrines housed saints’ relics—bones, clothing, or objects linked to holy lives—and became destinations for the faithful seeking blessings, cures, penance, and spiritual merit. Travelers undertook arduous journeys to pray at these sites, leave votive offerings, and sometimes receive indulgences, believing proximity to the saint’s relics mediated divine favor and miracles.

Famous routes formed around such centers: Canterbury for Thomas Becket, Santiago de Compostela for St. James, as well as Rome and Jerusalem. Shrines shaped towns and economies—inns, markets, and hospitals flourished—while inspiring art (jeweled reliquaries), architecture (radiating chapels for crowd flow), and literature (like The Canterbury Tales). Pilgrim badges and miracle registers recorded the devotion and experiences of these journeys.