Basilica of the Holy Blood
Encyclopedia
The Basilica of the Holy Blood is a Roman Catholic minor basilica
in Bruges
, Belgium
. Originally built in the 12th century as the chapel
of the residence of the Count of Flanders
, the church houses a venerated relic of the Holy Blood
allegedly collected by Joseph of Arimathea
and brought from the Holy Land
by Thierry of Alsace, Count of Flanders
. Built between 1134 and 1157, it was promoted to minor basilica
in 1923.
The 12th-century basilica is located in the Burg square and consists of a lower and upper chapel. The lower chapel dedicated to St. Basil the Great is a dark Romanesque
structure that remains virtually unchanged. The venerated relic is in the upper chapel, which was rebuilt in the Gothic
style during the 16th century and renovated multiple times during the 19th century in Gothic Revival style.
. According to the tradition, Thierry of Alsace returned to his capital Bruges on April 7, 1150 with the relic of the Precious Blood
. During the first half of the 13th century, the name of the upper chapel was changed to the Chapel of the Holy Blood.
from Caesarea Mazaca in Cappadocia
, Asia Minor
(modern-day Turkey
).
The chapel consists of two side naves and a central nave continued by the choir, which in turn is ended by a semi-circular apse
. In the tympanum
above the entrance linking the chapel and the annex is a 12th-century representation of the baptism of Saint Basil. In the right nave, the seated Madonna and Child (Sedes Sapientiae
) is a wooden polychrome sculpture of the early 14th century. Carried each year during the procession, two venerated wooden statues, made around 1900 and representing Jesus on the Cold Stone and the Pieta are displayed.
At the left of the choir, the chapel of Saint Yves was added in 1504 and houses the relics of Saint Basil and of Blessed Charles the Good, Count of Flanders. The black marble retable is allegedly executed from designs by Lancelot Blondeel
.
The monumental staircase, commonly named , which leads to the upper chapel, was built in from 1529 to 1533 in late Gothic and Renaissance style according to the drawings of Flemish painter and architect Lancelot Blondeel
, ornamented on the outside with sculpted statues. The aftermath of the French Revolution left the staircase badly damaged and it was decided in 1832 to move it 4 metres (13.1 ft) backwards and to rebuild it after removing the remaining ruins of the Oud Steen. The gilded bronze statues represent Archduchess Isabelle of Burgundy
, Mary of Burgundy
, Thierry of Alsace and Philip of Alsace and, in the medallions, the Archdukes of Austria Albert VII
and Maximilian III, Margaret of York
and Sibylla of Anjou
, wife of Thierry and daughter of King Fulk of Jerusalem
.
During the 19th century, successive renovation campaigns gave to the chapel its final Gothic Revival aspect, with its characteristic mural decorations. The stained-glass windows in the choir date from 1845 and represent the sovereigns who reigned over the County of Flanders from Philip the Bold
, duke of Burgundy
, till Archduchess Maria Theresa of Austria
, Holy Roman empress
.
The following architects and artists took part in these neo-Gothic renovations of the Chapel of the Holy Blood:
The pulpit in the form of a globe dates was made in 1728 by Henry Pulinckx, inspired by its evangelical purpose : "Go into all the world and preach the gospel" .
The large wall-painting behind the high altar was realized in 1905. In the upper part, the Mystery of the Cross depicts Christ shedding his blood, with, in the background, the towns of Bethlehem, where Christ was born, and Jerusalem where he died. The lower part depicts the transport of the relic from Jerusalem to Bruges: on the left, Thierry of Alsace receives the relic from Baldwin III of Jerusalem
, King of Jerusalem ; on the right, kneeling besides Countess Sibylla of Anjou
, he hands over the relic to the chaplain.
The high altar used today for the Eucharist is decorated with a relief in alabaster from the beginning of the 17th century depicting the Last Supper. Typical attributes of a basilica, the tintinnabulum
, the small processional bell, and the Umbraculum, the sunscreen in the form of a parasol in yellow and red silk, are displayed next to the high altar.
Laurent Delvaux
completed in 1751 the white marble altar in Baroque style for the relic side chapel. The two adoring angels were made by Peter Pepers. The relic is kept in a magnificent silver tabernacle made by local silversmith François Ryelandt (1709–1774), representing the "Lamb of Christ". To the right of the altar, the painting of Jacob van Oost depicts the descent from the Cross. The relic is shown to the public every Friday and every day two weeks before Ascension Day.
The basilica is best known as the repository of a venerated phial said to contain a cloth with blood of Jesus Christ, brought to the city by Thierry of Alsace after the 12th century Second Crusade
.
Although the Bible never mentions Christ's blood being preserved, one of the apocryphal gospels asserts that Joseph of Arimathea
preserved the Precious Blood after he had washed the dead body of Christ. The daily making present of the Blood of Christ
during the Mass
was central in the religious life of the Middle Age
in Europe. If genuine, a relic of the Blood of Jesus would be of utmost significance, a uniquely important witness to Jesus’ Passion and a perpetual reminder of the historical character of the Christian Gospel.
Popular legend asserts that the phial was taken to Bruges during the Second Crusade
of CE
1147–1149, by Thierry of Alsace, who returned from Jerusalem with the relic of the Holy Blood
presented to him by his brother-in-law Baldwin III of Jerusalem
, as the reward of his great services. However, recent research found no evidences of the presence of the relic in Bruges before the 1250s. In all likelihood, the relic originated from the 1204 sack of Constantinople by the army of the Count of Flanders, Baldwin IX
during the Fourth Crusade
. Ever since, the phial has played no small part in the religious life of the city. Pope Clement V
issued a papal bull
in 1310 granting indulgences to pilgrims who visited the chapel to view the relic.
Recent investigations have showed that the phial, made of rock crystal and dating back to the 11th or 12th century, was a Byzantine perfume bottle made in the area of Constantinople
. It was never opened since its arrival in Bruges. Its neck is wound with gold thread and its stopper is sealed with red wax. The phial is encased in a glass-fronted gold cylinder closed at each end by coronets decorated with angels. The date "MCCCLXXXVIII die III maii" (May 3, 1388) is engraved on the frame.
seems to have emerged as a civic ceremony by the late thirteenth century. Instituted in 1303, the ceremonial procession commemorates the deliverance of the city, by the national heroes Jan Breydel
and Pieter de Coninck, from French tyranny in May of the previous year and which takes place on Ascension Day, as one of the great religious celebrations in Belgium
. Residents of the area perform an historical reenactment
of the phial's arrival together with similar dramatizations of Biblical
events. The passion play
, the Jeu du Saint Sang takes place every five years.
The reliquary used during the procession is displayed in the Basilica Museum. The shrine was made in 1617 in Bruges by goldsmith
Jan Crabbe from some 30 kilograms (66.1 lb) of gold and silver and more than 100 precious stones. It consists of a gem-encrusted hexagonal case topped by golden statues representing Jesus-Christ, The Virgin Mary, St. Donatian
and St. Basil the Great.
passion play
, performed in Bruges
. It was first published in 1938, and translated into French by Émile Schwartz.
as Ken pays a visit to the relic of the Holy Blood in the 2008 movie In Bruges
. Howewer, the privately-owned Church of Jerusalem , built in the 15th century according to the plans of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem, was used instead of the Basilica.
Minor basilica
Minor basilica is a title given to some Roman Catholic churches. By canon law no Catholic church can be honoured with the title of basilica unless by apostolic grant or from immemorial custom....
in Bruges
Bruges
Bruges is the capital and largest city of the province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is located in the northwest of the country....
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
. Originally built in the 12th century as the chapel
Chapel
A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
of the residence of the Count of Flanders
Count of Flanders
The Count of Flanders was the ruler or sub-ruler of the county of Flanders from the 9th century until the abolition of the position by the French revolutionaries in 1790....
, the church houses a venerated relic of the Holy Blood
Blood of Christ
The Blood of Christ in Christian theology refers to the physical blood actually shed by Jesus Christ on the Cross, and the salvation which Christianity teaches was accomplished thereby; and the sacramental blood present in the Eucharist, which is considered by Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, and...
allegedly collected by Joseph of Arimathea
Joseph of Arimathea
Joseph of Arimathea was, according to the Gospels, the man who donated his own prepared tomb for the burial of Jesus after Jesus' Crucifixion. He is mentioned in all four Gospels.-Gospel references:...
and brought from the Holy Land
Holy Land
The Holy Land is a term which in Judaism refers to the Kingdom of Israel as defined in the Tanakh. For Jews, the Land's identifiction of being Holy is defined in Judaism by its differentiation from other lands by virtue of the practice of Judaism often possible only in the Land of Israel...
by Thierry of Alsace, Count of Flanders
Count of Flanders
The Count of Flanders was the ruler or sub-ruler of the county of Flanders from the 9th century until the abolition of the position by the French revolutionaries in 1790....
. Built between 1134 and 1157, it was promoted to minor basilica
Minor basilica
Minor basilica is a title given to some Roman Catholic churches. By canon law no Catholic church can be honoured with the title of basilica unless by apostolic grant or from immemorial custom....
in 1923.
The 12th-century basilica is located in the Burg square and consists of a lower and upper chapel. The lower chapel dedicated to St. Basil the Great is a dark Romanesque
Romanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
structure that remains virtually unchanged. The venerated relic is in the upper chapel, which was rebuilt in the Gothic
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
style during the 16th century and renovated multiple times during the 19th century in Gothic Revival style.
History
In 1134, Thierry of Alsace decided to build a private double chapel next to the , the first residence of the Counts of Flanders, transformed today into the town hall of Bruges. Thierry went on crusade a second time in 1147 during the Second CrusadeSecond Crusade
The Second Crusade was the second major crusade launched from Europe. The Second Crusade was started in response to the fall of the County of Edessa the previous year to the forces of Zengi. The county had been founded during the First Crusade by Baldwin of Boulogne in 1098...
. According to the tradition, Thierry of Alsace returned to his capital Bruges on April 7, 1150 with the relic of the Precious Blood
Blood of Christ
The Blood of Christ in Christian theology refers to the physical blood actually shed by Jesus Christ on the Cross, and the salvation which Christianity teaches was accomplished thereby; and the sacramental blood present in the Eucharist, which is considered by Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, and...
. During the first half of the 13th century, the name of the upper chapel was changed to the Chapel of the Holy Blood.
St Basil chapel
The chapel of Saint Basil is one of the best preserved churches in Romanesque style of West-Flanders. Built from 1134–1149, the chapel is dedicated to St. Basil the Great of whom a relic was brought back by Count Robert IIRobert II, Count of Flanders
Robert II was Count of Flanders from 1093 to 1111. He became known as Robert of Jerusalem or Robert the Crusader after his exploits in the First Crusade.-History:...
from Caesarea Mazaca in Cappadocia
Cappadocia
Cappadocia is a historical region in Central Anatolia, largely in Nevşehir Province.In the time of Herodotus, the Cappadocians were reported as occupying the whole region from Mount Taurus to the vicinity of the Euxine...
, Asia Minor
Asia Minor
Asia Minor is a geographical location at the westernmost protrusion of Asia, also called Anatolia, and corresponds to the western two thirds of the Asian part of Turkey...
(modern-day Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
).
The chapel consists of two side naves and a central nave continued by the choir, which in turn is ended by a semi-circular apse
Apse
In architecture, the apse is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault or semi-dome...
. In the tympanum
Tympanum (architecture)
In architecture, a tympanum is the semi-circular or triangular decorative wall surface over an entrance, bounded by a lintel and arch. It often contains sculpture or other imagery or ornaments. Most architectural styles include this element....
above the entrance linking the chapel and the annex is a 12th-century representation of the baptism of Saint Basil. In the right nave, the seated Madonna and Child (Sedes Sapientiae
Sedes Sapientiae
The Sedes Sapientiae , also known as Our Lady of Louvain, is a medieval wooden statue of the Virgin Mary. Nicolaas De Bruyne carved the statue in 1442, copying and enlarging an earlier and smaller statue from the 13th century. It is located in the church of Saint Peter in heart of the city of...
) is a wooden polychrome sculpture of the early 14th century. Carried each year during the procession, two venerated wooden statues, made around 1900 and representing Jesus on the Cold Stone and the Pieta are displayed.
At the left of the choir, the chapel of Saint Yves was added in 1504 and houses the relics of Saint Basil and of Blessed Charles the Good, Count of Flanders. The black marble retable is allegedly executed from designs by Lancelot Blondeel
Lancelot Blondeel
Lancelot Blondeel was a Flemish painter established at Bruges.-Works:* Triptyque avec les saints Côme et Damien, Bruges, Sint-Jacobskerk...
.
Chapel of the Holy Blood
Originally built in Romanesque style like the St Basil chapel, the upper chapel was transformed in Gothic Style at the end of the 15th century and again in 1823. Only the curved arches giving access to the side chapel of the Holy Cross remain from the original Romanesque chapel.Lancelot Blondeel
Lancelot Blondeel was a Flemish painter established at Bruges.-Works:* Triptyque avec les saints Côme et Damien, Bruges, Sint-Jacobskerk...
, ornamented on the outside with sculpted statues. The aftermath of the French Revolution left the staircase badly damaged and it was decided in 1832 to move it 4 metres (13.1 ft) backwards and to rebuild it after removing the remaining ruins of the Oud Steen. The gilded bronze statues represent Archduchess Isabelle of Burgundy
Isabelle of Burgundy
Isabella of Burgundy , Lady of Vieux-Château, was the second and last Queen consort of Rudolph I of Germany.- Family :She was the second daughter of Hugh IV, Duke of Burgundy and his second wife Beatrice of Champagne....
, Mary of Burgundy
Mary of Burgundy
Mary of Burgundy ruled the Burgundian territories in Low Countries and was suo jure Duchess of Burgundy from 1477 until her death...
, Thierry of Alsace and Philip of Alsace and, in the medallions, the Archdukes of Austria Albert VII
Albert VII, Archduke of Austria
Archduke Albert VII of Austria was, jointly with his wife, the Infanta Isabella Clara Eugenia, sovereign of the Habsburg Netherlands between 1598 and 1621, ruling the Habsburg territories in the southern Low Countries and the north of modern France...
and Maximilian III, Margaret of York
Margaret of York
Margaret of York – also by marriage known as Margaret of Burgundy – was Duchess of Burgundy as the third wife of Charles the Bold and acted as a protector of the Duchy after his death. She was a daughter of Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York, and Cecily Neville, and the sister of...
and Sibylla of Anjou
Sibylla of Anjou
Sibylla of Anjou was a daughter of Fulk V of Anjou and Ermengarde of Maine, and wife of William Clito and Thierry, Count of Flanders....
, wife of Thierry and daughter of King Fulk of Jerusalem
Fulk of Jerusalem
Fulk , also known as Fulk the Younger, was Count of Anjou from 1109 to 1129, and King of Jerusalem from 1131 to his death...
.
During the 19th century, successive renovation campaigns gave to the chapel its final Gothic Revival aspect, with its characteristic mural decorations. The stained-glass windows in the choir date from 1845 and represent the sovereigns who reigned over the County of Flanders from Philip the Bold
Philip the Bold
Philip the Bold , also Philip II, Duke of Burgundy , was the fourth and youngest son of King John II of France and his wife, Bonne of Luxembourg. By his marriage to Margaret III, Countess of Flanders, he also became Count Philip II of Flanders, Count Philip IV of Artois and Count-Palatine Philip IV...
, duke of Burgundy
Duke of Burgundy
Duke of Burgundy was a title borne by the rulers of the Duchy of Burgundy, a small portion of traditional lands of Burgundians west of river Saône which in 843 was allotted to Charles the Bald's kingdom of West Franks...
, till Archduchess Maria Theresa of Austria
Maria Theresa of Austria
Maria Theresa Walburga Amalia Christina was the only female ruler of the Habsburg dominions and the last of the House of Habsburg. She was the sovereign of Austria, Hungary, Croatia, Bohemia, Mantua, Milan, Lodomeria and Galicia, the Austrian Netherlands and Parma...
, Holy Roman empress
Holy Roman Emperor
The Holy Roman Emperor is a term used by historians to denote a medieval ruler who, as German King, had also received the title of "Emperor of the Romans" from the Pope...
.
The following architects and artists took part in these neo-Gothic renovations of the Chapel of the Holy Blood:
- Jean-Baptiste BethuneJean-Baptiste Bethune (architect)Jean-Baptiste Bethune was a Belgian architect, artisan and designer who played a pivotal role in the Belgian and Catholic Gothic Revival movement. He was called by some the "Pugin of Belgium".-Life:...
- Louis DelacenserieLouis DelacenserieLouis Delacenserie was a Belgian architect from Bruges. The spelling of his name differs greatly; De la Censerie, Delasencerie, Dela Censerie or Dela Sencerie are the most common alternative forms. His father was a merchant and building contractor from Tournai.Delacenserie studied architecture at...
- Thomas Harper King
- William Curtis Brangwyn, father of Frank BrangwynFrank BrangwynSir Frank William Brangwyn RA RWS RBA was an Anglo-Welsh artist, painter, water colourist, virtuoso engraver and illustrator, and progressive designer.- Biography :...
- Charles De Wulf, architect of the city of Bruges and winner of the Prix de RomePrix de RomeThe Prix de Rome was a scholarship for arts students, principally of painting, sculpture, and architecture. It was created, initially for painters and sculptors, in 1663 in France during the reign of Louis XIV. It was an annual bursary for promising artists having proved their talents by...
in 1887
The pulpit in the form of a globe dates was made in 1728 by Henry Pulinckx, inspired by its evangelical purpose : "Go into all the world and preach the gospel" .
The large wall-painting behind the high altar was realized in 1905. In the upper part, the Mystery of the Cross depicts Christ shedding his blood, with, in the background, the towns of Bethlehem, where Christ was born, and Jerusalem where he died. The lower part depicts the transport of the relic from Jerusalem to Bruges: on the left, Thierry of Alsace receives the relic from Baldwin III of Jerusalem
Baldwin III of Jerusalem
Baldwin III was king of Jerusalem from 1143 to 1163. He was the eldest son of Melisende and Fulk of Jerusalem, and the grandson of Baldwin II of Jerusalem.-Succession:...
, King of Jerusalem ; on the right, kneeling besides Countess Sibylla of Anjou
Sibylla of Anjou
Sibylla of Anjou was a daughter of Fulk V of Anjou and Ermengarde of Maine, and wife of William Clito and Thierry, Count of Flanders....
, he hands over the relic to the chaplain.
The high altar used today for the Eucharist is decorated with a relief in alabaster from the beginning of the 17th century depicting the Last Supper. Typical attributes of a basilica, the tintinnabulum
Tintinnabulum
A Tintinnabulum is a bell mounted on a pole, placed in a Roman Catholic Basilica to signify the church's link with the Pope.-History:In the Middle Ages it served the practical function of alerting the people of Rome to the approach of the Pope during papal processions....
, the small processional bell, and the Umbraculum, the sunscreen in the form of a parasol in yellow and red silk, are displayed next to the high altar.
Laurent Delvaux
Laurent Delvaux
Laurent Delvaux was a prolific Belgian sculptor.-Life:Delvaux was born in Ghent. In Brussels he was a student of Denis Plumier from Antwerp, he followed Plumier to London in 1719 and collaborated with him on the funerary monument of John Sheffield, duke of Buckingham...
completed in 1751 the white marble altar in Baroque style for the relic side chapel. The two adoring angels were made by Peter Pepers. The relic is kept in a magnificent silver tabernacle made by local silversmith François Ryelandt (1709–1774), representing the "Lamb of Christ". To the right of the altar, the painting of Jacob van Oost depicts the descent from the Cross. The relic is shown to the public every Friday and every day two weeks before Ascension Day.
Relic of the Precious Blood
Second Crusade
The Second Crusade was the second major crusade launched from Europe. The Second Crusade was started in response to the fall of the County of Edessa the previous year to the forces of Zengi. The county had been founded during the First Crusade by Baldwin of Boulogne in 1098...
.
Although the Bible never mentions Christ's blood being preserved, one of the apocryphal gospels asserts that Joseph of Arimathea
Joseph of Arimathea
Joseph of Arimathea was, according to the Gospels, the man who donated his own prepared tomb for the burial of Jesus after Jesus' Crucifixion. He is mentioned in all four Gospels.-Gospel references:...
preserved the Precious Blood after he had washed the dead body of Christ. The daily making present of the Blood of Christ
Blood of Christ
The Blood of Christ in Christian theology refers to the physical blood actually shed by Jesus Christ on the Cross, and the salvation which Christianity teaches was accomplished thereby; and the sacramental blood present in the Eucharist, which is considered by Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, and...
during the Mass
Mass
Mass can be defined as a quantitive measure of the resistance an object has to change in its velocity.In physics, mass commonly refers to any of the following three properties of matter, which have been shown experimentally to be equivalent:...
was central in the religious life of the Middle Age
Middle age
Middle age is the period of age beyond young adulthood but before the onset of old age. Various attempts have been made to define this age, which is around the third quarter of the average life span of human beings....
in Europe. If genuine, a relic of the Blood of Jesus would be of utmost significance, a uniquely important witness to Jesus’ Passion and a perpetual reminder of the historical character of the Christian Gospel.
Popular legend asserts that the phial was taken to Bruges during the Second Crusade
Second Crusade
The Second Crusade was the second major crusade launched from Europe. The Second Crusade was started in response to the fall of the County of Edessa the previous year to the forces of Zengi. The county had been founded during the First Crusade by Baldwin of Boulogne in 1098...
of CE
Common Era
Common Era ,abbreviated as CE, is an alternative designation for the calendar era originally introduced by Dionysius Exiguus in the 6th century, traditionally identified with Anno Domini .Dates before the year 1 CE are indicated by the usage of BCE, short for Before the Common Era Common Era...
1147–1149, by Thierry of Alsace, who returned from Jerusalem with the relic of the Holy Blood
Holy Blood
Holy Blood is a folk metal band from Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, formed in 1999. The band is notable for being one of the few Christian bands in its genre, and the fact that they are the most successful group on its label Bombworks Records, and the band has been noted world wide despite being an...
presented to him by his brother-in-law Baldwin III of Jerusalem
Baldwin III of Jerusalem
Baldwin III was king of Jerusalem from 1143 to 1163. He was the eldest son of Melisende and Fulk of Jerusalem, and the grandson of Baldwin II of Jerusalem.-Succession:...
, as the reward of his great services. However, recent research found no evidences of the presence of the relic in Bruges before the 1250s. In all likelihood, the relic originated from the 1204 sack of Constantinople by the army of the Count of Flanders, Baldwin IX
Baldwin I of Constantinople
Baldwin I , the first emperor of the Latin Empire of Constantinople, as Baldwin IX Count of Flanders and as Baldwin VI Count of Hainaut, was one of the most prominent leaders of the Fourth Crusade, which resulted in the capture of Constantinople, the conquest of the greater part of the Byzantine...
during the Fourth Crusade
Fourth Crusade
The Fourth Crusade was originally intended to conquer Muslim-controlled Jerusalem by means of an invasion through Egypt. Instead, in April 1204, the Crusaders of Western Europe invaded and conquered the Christian city of Constantinople, capital of the Eastern Roman Empire...
. Ever since, the phial has played no small part in the religious life of the city. Pope Clement V
Pope Clement V
Pope Clement V, born Raymond Bertrand de Got was Pope from 1305 to his death...
issued a papal bull
Papal bull
A Papal bull is a particular type of letters patent or charter issued by a Pope of the Catholic Church. It is named after the bulla that was appended to the end in order to authenticate it....
in 1310 granting indulgences to pilgrims who visited the chapel to view the relic.
Recent investigations have showed that the phial, made of rock crystal and dating back to the 11th or 12th century, was a Byzantine perfume bottle made in the area of Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
. It was never opened since its arrival in Bruges. Its neck is wound with gold thread and its stopper is sealed with red wax. The phial is encased in a glass-fronted gold cylinder closed at each end by coronets decorated with angels. The date "MCCCLXXXVIII die III maii" (May 3, 1388) is engraved on the frame.
Procession of the Holy Blood
The Procession of the Holy BloodProcession of the Holy Blood
The Procession of the Holy Blood is a large religious procession, dating back to the Middle Ages, which takes place each Ascension Day in Bruges, Belgium. The centerpiece is the Blood of Christ, a coagulated relic said to become fluid again each year on this day. Sixty to one hundred thousand...
seems to have emerged as a civic ceremony by the late thirteenth century. Instituted in 1303, the ceremonial procession commemorates the deliverance of the city, by the national heroes Jan Breydel
Jan Breydel
Jan Breydel is credited with leading the Bruges Matins , a violent uprising against Philip the Fair....
and Pieter de Coninck, from French tyranny in May of the previous year and which takes place on Ascension Day, as one of the great religious celebrations in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
. Residents of the area perform an historical reenactment
Historical reenactment
Historical reenactment is an educational activity in which participants attempt torecreate some aspects of a historical event or period. This may be as narrow as a specific moment from a battle, such as the reenactment of Pickett's Charge at the Great Reunion of 1913, or as broad as an entire...
of the phial's arrival together with similar dramatizations of Biblical
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
events. The passion play
Passion play
A Passion play is a dramatic presentation depicting the Passion of Jesus Christ: his trial, suffering and death. It is a traditional part of Lent in several Christian denominations, particularly in Catholic tradition....
, the Jeu du Saint Sang takes place every five years.
The reliquary used during the procession is displayed in the Basilica Museum. The shrine was made in 1617 in Bruges by goldsmith
Goldsmith
A goldsmith is a metalworker who specializes in working with gold and other precious metals. Since ancient times the techniques of a goldsmith have evolved very little in order to produce items of jewelry of quality standards. In modern times actual goldsmiths are rare...
Jan Crabbe from some 30 kilograms (66.1 lb) of gold and silver and more than 100 precious stones. It consists of a gem-encrusted hexagonal case topped by golden statues representing Jesus-Christ, The Virgin Mary, St. Donatian
Saint Donatian
Saint Donatian is the patron saint of Bruges, Belgium, where his relics were enshrined in the ninth century. He was the bishop of Reims from 360 until his death in 390. His feast day is celebrated on October 14....
and St. Basil the Great.
Jeu du Saint Sang
Jeu du Saint Sang is a BelgianBelgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
passion play
Passion play
A Passion play is a dramatic presentation depicting the Passion of Jesus Christ: his trial, suffering and death. It is a traditional part of Lent in several Christian denominations, particularly in Catholic tradition....
, performed in Bruges
Bruges
Bruges is the capital and largest city of the province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is located in the northwest of the country....
. It was first published in 1938, and translated into French by Émile Schwartz.
Trivia
Brendan GleesonBrendan Gleeson
Brendan Gleeson is an Irish actor. His best-known films include Braveheart, Gangs of New York, In Bruges, 28 Days Later, the Harry Potter films, The Guard and the role of Michael Collins in The Treaty...
as Ken pays a visit to the relic of the Holy Blood in the 2008 movie In Bruges
In Bruges
In Bruges is a 2008 black comedy crime film written and directed by Martin McDonagh. The film stars Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson as two hitmen in hiding, with Ralph Fiennes as their gangster boss. The film takes place—and was filmed—within the Belgian city of Bruges. In Bruges was...
. Howewer, the privately-owned Church of Jerusalem , built in the 15th century according to the plans of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem, was used instead of the Basilica.
External links
- Official website of the Procession of the Holy Blood
- Bruges: The Chapel of the Holy Blood at trabel.com
- Heilig-Bloedbasiliek at Frommers