Wordless Wednesday - Arm Reliquary of Charlemagne

Hmmm…interesting picture!

I’d like to go see that and take a book on palmistry along to see if Charlemagne’s lines go along with his life’s story.

Actually, it makes me wonder how many American school children have ever heard of Charlemagne.

I wonder what the intended significance of the upraised palm is? Is it raised toward heaven? Is it an invocation of peace, after Charlemagne united that area of Europe? Hmmm….

Interesting photo. There’s so much one could say about Charlemagne’s reign. The photo says much of it for you. It shows the power he had in the gold and the confidence of the hand’s position. If you do interpret it to mean that he’s pointing to the heavens, it could also be pointing to his connection to the Church.

Now, when you say “reliquary,” does that mean that there are actual arm bones or some other relics of Charlie inside?

Kallie,

Yes, that’s exactly what it means. Normally a reliquary is used to house bones of saints, but there are several reliquaries at the Cathedral Treasury (Schatzkammer) at Aachen, Germany, which house bones of Charlemagne. The most famous is the gilded bust of the great king…his cranium is inside.

The entire cathedral is amazing – it’s strange to think that Charlemagne actually walked through parts of it. There’s a gorgeous octagonal chandelier, donated by Friedrich Barbarossa, and stunning gold work from Venice.

I would love to see more pictures of the cathedral, chandelier and gold work.

My first thought was Luke Sky Walker LOL, then I thought armour, Wow Pretty intersting and slighty morbid.