VESTÍGIOS DA PAIXÃO DE CRISTO

A LANÇA SAGRADA, UMA RELÍQUIA DE PRESTÍGIO

Abstract

This article examines role of Christian relics in the medieval West, focusing on the First Crusade (1096–1099) and the discovery of the so-called Holy Lance. It begins by outlining key concepts about relics, including their classifications and their social, political, and spiritual functions. The analysis turns to Guibert of Nogent’s account of the Lance found in Antioch, emphasizing its ambivalence between rational critique and religious devotion. The article argues that relics symbolically acted as mediators between the human and the divine, revealing tensions within medieval Christian religiosity. It also highlights how the relationship between people and sacred objects produces meanings that shape historical memory. Such objects do not function independently—they are tied to the intentions, beliefs, and actions of those who possess and interpret them.