The Religion of Relics in early Byzantium

By the fourth century, Christians had begun to hold the physical remains and personal effects of their holy men and women in high regard, treating them with special reverence and expecting them to provide help with practical and spiritual problems.

Together with simple substances like oil, earth, wood, or water collected while on pilgrimage, such relics offer a window on religious practices and sensibilities in Byzantium from the fourth to the ninth century.

Derek Krueger, Joe Rosenthal Excellence Professor in the Department of Religious Studies, University of North Carolina at Greensboro. He has been a fellow of the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Institute for Advanced Studies of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He is a contributor to the catalogue for the exhibition Treasures of Heaven.