Last Friday I visited the ‘Treasures from Heaven: Saints, Relics and Devotion in Medieval Europe’ exhibition at the British Museum.
The exhibition includes a relic that belonged to Mary Queen of Scots. The relic is a thorn from the crown of Jesus, with Mary’s pearls wrapped around it.
The Mary Queen of Scots Relic of the Holy Thorn
’In 1558 King Henry II of France gave two joined Holy Thorns to his daughter-in-law, Mary Queen of Scots. Mary, a Catholic, was considered a threat to her cousin Elizabeth’s throne. After her execution in 1587 Mary’s bloody garments were burned to prevent the collection of her relics and her veneration as a martyr.
The double Holy Thorn survived – one is contained here, in the smaller inner reliquary. It is entwined with pearls that may have belonged to Mary.’
Copyright British Museum
You can view the relic here:
The exhibition runs until 9th October 2011.
Further information:
