Furta Sacra: Thefts of Relics in the Central Middle Ages - Revised Edition / Edition 1

by Patrick J. Geary

Overview

To obtain sacred relics, medieval monks plundered tombs, avaricious merchants raided churches, and relic-mongers scoured the Roman catacombs. In a revised edition of Furta Sacra, Patrick Geary considers the social and cultural context for these acts, asking how the relics were perceived and why the thefts met with the approval of medieval Christians.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780691008622
Publisher:	Princeton University Press
Publication date:	02/21/1991
Series:	Princeton Paperbacks Series
Edition description:	Revised Edition
Pages:	248
Sales rank:	723,589
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x (d)

About the Author

Patrick J. Geary is Professor of History at the University of Florida.

Table of Contents

• Frontmatter, pg. i
• Contents, pg. vii
• Preface to the 1990 Edition, pg. ix
• Preface, pg. xi
• Abbreviations, pg. xv
• CHAPTER ONE. Relics and Saints in the Central Middle Ages, pg. 1
• CHAPTER TWO. The Cult of Relics in Carolingian Europe, pg. 28
• CHAPTER THREE. The Professionals, pg. 44
• CHAPTER FOUR. Monastic Thefts, pg. 56
• CHAPTER FIVE. Urban Thefts, pg. 87
• CHAPTER SIX. Justifications, pg. 108
• CHAPTER SEVEN. Conclusions, pg. 129
• APPENDIX A: Critique of Texts, pg. 135
• APPENDIX B: Handlist of Relic Thefts, pg. 149
• Notes, pg. 157
• Bibliography, pg. 185
• Index, pg. 211

Editorial Reviews

[This] is a superb book, original and immaculate in scholarship, elegant in style and though.—-R. I. Moore, Times Higher Education Supplement


A shrewd, interesting, and helpful study.—-C. N. L. Brooke, History


Geary is at his best in unraveling the tangled accounts of individual thefts to suggest the reasons for their occurrence and in describing the central role of saints and their relics in this age. His exposition of the medieval view that saints resided with and participated actively in the affairs of the communities possessing their relics is essential to understanding the function of saints in this society and the desire of communities to steal or, as he argues, to 'kidnap' them.—-John M. McCulloh, American Historical Review


This is a fascinating study of a medieval way of thinking which in certain circumstances countenanced thefts of sacred relics from tombs, churches, and Roman catacombs. . . . Furta Sacra is a truly impressive history shedding much light on a difficult dimension of popular Christian piety in another age.—-Michael Connors, Church History

From the Publisher

This is a fascinating study of a medieval way of thinking which in certain circumstances countenanced thefts of sacred relics from tombs, churches, and Roman catacombs. . . . Furta Sacra is a truly impressive history shedding much light on a difficult dimension of popular Christian piety in another age.

Church History - Michael Connors

Geary is at his best in unraveling the tangled accounts of individual thefts to suggest the reasons for their occurrence and in describing the central role of saints and their relics in this age. His exposition of the medieval view that saints resided with and participated actively in the affairs of the communities possessing their relics is essential to understanding the function of saints in this society and the desire of communities to steal or, as he argues, to 'kidnap' them.

American Historical Review - John M. McCulloh

A shrewd, interesting, and helpful study.

History - C. N. L. Brooke

[This] is a superb book, original and immaculate in scholarship, elegant in style and though.

Times Higher Education Supplement - R. I. Moore

A shrewd, interesting, and helpful study.

History - C.N.L. Brooke

[This] is a superb book, original and immaculate in scholarship, elegant in style and though.

Times Higher Education Supplement - R.I. Moore

A shrewd, interesting, and helpful study.

History - C.N. L. Brooke

This is a fascinating study of a medieval way of thinking which in certain circumstances countenanced thefts of sacred relics from tombs, churches, and Roman catacombs. . . . Furta Sacra is a truly impressive history shedding much light on a difficult dimension of popular Christian piety in another age.
— Michael Connors

Church History

Geary is at his best in unraveling the tangled accounts of individual thefts to suggest the reasons for their occurrence and in describing the central role of saints and their relics in this age. His exposition of the medieval view that saints resided with and participated actively in the affairs of the communities possessing their relics is essential to understanding the function of saints in this society and the desire of communities to steal or, as he argues, to 'kidnap' them.
— John M. McCulloh

American Historical Review

A shrewd, interesting, and helpful study.
— C. N. L. Brooke

History

[This] is a superb book, original and immaculate in scholarship, elegant in style and though.
— R. I. Moore

Times Higher Education Supplement