Holy Cross Religious Studies Professor Considers What Makes Religious Relics Sacred to Christians

As the Russian missile cruiser Moskva sank after heavy damage sustained in April 2022, stories began to circulate that the ship may have been carrying a relic of the "true cross," a fragment of the actual wooden cross on which Jesus is believed to have suffered and died.

In a recent piece for The Conversation, Joanne Pierce, a professor of religious studies at the College of the Holy Cross who is an expert in the fields of medieval Christian liturgy and worship, explains the veneration of relics and puts into context the long history of the Christian devotional practice.

"Whether prized as a lucky charm or venerated as a powerful reminder of the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ, this Russian relic of the true cross has taken its place in the paradoxical history of these valuable religious objects: The peaceful message of Jesus has often been lost in the violent chaos of war," said Pierce.

To read the full article, go to TheConversation.com.