Medieval Treasures from Münster Cathedral

Gold and silver reliquaries, jeweled crosses, liturgical garments, and illuminated manuscripts are among the rare treasures kept in the Cathedral of Saint Paul in Münster, in northwestern Germany. Because the cathedral was the heart of both the diocese and the secular territory of the bishop, many art objects were commissioned for, or gifted to, the cathedral. For the medieval Christian, collections of relics and reliquaries held spiritual power and political clout. Many of Münster’s reliquaries, created between the 1000s and 1500s, were permanently displayed on the altar, while others were brought out only during liturgical celebrations. The Cleveland Museum of Art’s Medieval Treasures exhibition includes seven of these reliquaries.