[Faline]

This is purportedly the head of John the Baptist, preserved under a glass dome (and sitting on a silver platter, appropriately enough) in the northern aisle of Amiens Cathedral in France.


From AtlasObscura:

…the skull found its way to its current home after traveling from the defunct city of Constantinople. During the Fourth Crusade (1202–1204), Wallon de Sarton, a Crusader from French Picardy, discovered in the ruins of a palace in Constantinople, a relic consisting of a half-ball of transparent crystal that contained the facial section of a human head resting on a silver plate.

Greek letters engraved in the plate affirmed that the pate was that of John the Baptist. Wallon de Sarton had to sell the silver plate to pay for his voyage back to France, but he kept the head and in 1206 he gave the relic to the bishop of the town of Amiens. Realizing the significance of the item, the church immediately began construction on the Amiens Cathedral.

The relic was displayed in the Amiens Cathedral until the French Revolution when inventory was made of all Church property and treasure and relics were confiscated. In 1793 representatives of the Convention demanded that the relic be buried in a cemetery, instead the mayor of the town kept the relic in his house.

Some years later, in 1816, the head of St. John the Baptist was returned to the cathedral and in 1876 a new silver plate was added to the relic, restoring it to its historical glory.

It’s a fabulous story, but quite possibly fabricated – other reports have it that the current head is a replacement dating from the late nineteenth century that was brought in after the original was lost.

[dogleg818]

That's interesting, Ill have to Google to see if I can find more info.

[carkees]

Now if that ain't vintage....

[vagabond]

Hmm....interesting!

[samplesam]

Too cool love this stuff....about the Bible

[kilyurselph]

Catholics clearly give 2 flying fucks about what the Bible says! In fact they're so bad ass about rubbing their blasphemy in their make believe "Gods" face. <( All Gods Are Make Believe ) That they simply did away with the 2nd commandment entirely. You know the one that forbids them from worshiping or even creating idols of any kind. Looking at that church, it's pretty easy to see why they might not like the 2nd commandment and all. ( RELIGION ) ( BELIEVERS )

[Jere]

awesome

them priests got the coolest bling...

[reubthadude]

[blancadon]

He's winkin' at ya!

[denemarsden]

his cousin made it,he was an evil bloke called John the bastard