Relic

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A Relic is an artifact related to a religious figure, typically a Saint.

In period, Christians placed great store in relics, often travelling on pilgrimage to venerate them. Every major church had at least one relic, and the more important the saint, the more potent the relic. Possession of a particularly important relic was a guarantee of income for a monastery, church or even a secular lord, as pilgrims would travel great distances (and leave significant offerings for the privilege of seeing it.

Trade in relics was also important in period, and therefore the existence of fraudulent relics was quite common.

See Also

True Cross

Spear of Longinus

Shroud of Turin