The Crown of Thorns

By Mary Preston

A Personal Tribute to the Holy Relic housed in Notre Dame.

Is the Crown of Thorns authentic or a fake? And does it matter?

What do we know of its history? And what does this relic mean to Christians and everyone else worldwide today?
 

During Easter week, on Monday evening 15th April 2019 the great Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris faced destruction along with its priceless artworks and holy relics. When the fire took hold, thankfully a priest saw fit to act swiftly and save a great many of these treasures including the crown of thorns. However, there are many other places in the world that also claim to house this beloved relic.

 

This short book is my tribute to the Crown of Thorns, it offers an easily accessible account of what we know about this history and the significance of the relic, which I first viewed in Notre Dame Cathedral some twenty years ago.

 

I have been an avid visitor to churches around the world for most of my life and am fascinated by relics and the stories around them.

• Language: English
• Publisher: MP
• Release date: Apr 17, 2019
• ISBN: 9798201537746

Book preview

The Crown of Thorns © Mary Preston 2019

All rights reserved. This book or parts thereof may not be reproduced in any form, stored in any retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise—without prior written permission of the publisher, except as provided by United States of America copyright law.

Preface

In Easter week, on Monday evening 15th April 2019 the great Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris faced destruction along with its priceless artworks and holy relics. When the fire took hold, thankfully, Jean-Marc Fournier, chaplain of the Paris Fire Brigade saw fit to act swiftly and save a great many of these treasures. Many other brave people went to his aid.

The Crown of Thorns has a special place in the hearts of many Christians around the world, but this book is not just for Christians. It is written for people of any faith and no faith.

People rightly ask many legitimate questions about the Crown of Thorns and other relics such as are they genuine and why do Catholics worship them. Both of these questions show a great misunderstanding of what the relics mean to those believers who treasure them and what place they have in history, irrespective of a particular religion.  

This book is my tribute to the Crown of Thorns, which I first viewed in Notre Dame