medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
From: "George R. Hoelzeman" <[log in to unmask]>
> On Thu, 27 Mar 2008 10:01:40 -0400, Christopher Crockett wrote:
>>the "theory" is that, at some point in its history (perhaps before it left
7th c. Edessa for Constantinople), it was folded up and, in one of those
curious transformations which happened in middlevil times, all memory of it
as
being a *larger* cloth, with a double life-size representation of a man's
body, was lost.
>>i believe that there are also Byz. literary sources which describe it as
just being a head/face.
> Something quasi-similar befell the Plan of St. Gall - it was folded into a
book upon which was written a Vita of St. Martin and the meaning of the
architectural plan on the verso was forgotten. I seem to recall that Born and
Horn mention that some thought the Plan represented St. Martin's monastery.
> So, it does seem plausible that something got folded, put in a box and
forgotten. . . or known and not bothered with.
yes, i believe that there's no way to tell whether it was already venerated at
Edessa as just a head, or if it only received its (virtual) decorpustation
after it came to the Capital.
but if all the Byz. sources/depictions are bodyless (and my memory is that
they are), it seems probable that it was thought to be that when it was
translated to Constantinople.
once there, safely tucked into its box, but always visible behind the gold
wire latticework, there would be no reason to take it out, unfold it and
discover its unsuspected and extraordinary length and imagery.
nor is it certain that the Turin Artifact was, indeed, the Mandylion.
shucks, it might just be a 14th c. French painting.
the earliest (somewhat ambiguous) description of the Turin Artifact (then at
Lirey, dio. Troyes), published by Chavelier, reads "quandam figuram sive
representationem Sudarii Domini nostri J.X...."
(letter of a [anti-?] Pope named Clement, 1389 [SIC???], in the "Archives du
Vatican, Reg. Avign.", Ulysse Chevalier "Autour des origines du suaire de
Lirey, avec documents inédits," Bibliothèque liturgique, Tome 5, livraison 4
[offprint, Paris: A. Picard et Fils, 1903], p.
31]http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k91144z )
and another of the same Clement, in 1390, declares that "figura seu
representacio predicta non est Sudarium Domini nostri J.X." (p. 35)
a letter in French of 1472/1482 calls it the "saint Suaire de Nostre Seigneur
Jhesu Crist ou representacion d'icellui." (p. 39)
however, it is certain that, from at least the time this artifact was removed
to Turin (in 1578?) it was displayed in its full length and is depicted as
such in several early paintings, etc.
the only thing we really know about the nature of the reliquary of the
Mandylion is that it seems to have had this see-through wire latticework for
viewing the Object, but it's logical to assume that it was probably bedecked
with at least semi-precious metals and jewels.
accepting, for the sake of argument, that the Turin Artifact was not a 14th c.
painting and was, indeed, the Mandylion, transferred to Champagne after the
1204 Sack, it's not unreasonable to suppose that the relic was taken out of
its box in its new home at some point (150+ years later?), found to be *much*
more substantial than was previously realized; the box no longer being
sufficient to display its True Glory, was striped of whatever was of value and
discarded.
the "new" relic was displayed in a spiffy new collegial church built by
Godfrey de Charny, Lord of Liry and (presumably) descendant of the original
Fourth Crusade Looter (whose name i've never seen, btw).
that's one possible Screenplay, anyway.
c
**********************************************************************
To join the list, send the message: join medieval-religion YOUR NAME
to: [log in to unmask]
To send a message to the list, address it to:
[log in to unmask]
To leave the list, send the message: leave medieval-religion
to: [log in to unmask]
In order to report problems or to contact the list's owners, write to:
[log in to unmask]
For further information, visit our web site:
http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/medieval-religion.html
|