Helena used one preciso make the crown and two durante reinforcing the bridle
With respect to the relics of the Crucifixion – the so-called stemma Christi (‘weapons of Christ, or Instruments of the Passion) – Lombardy has long since cornered the market on the Holy Nails. Milan’s Holy Nail (Santo Chiodo) is securely fixed esatto the vertice of the Duomo’s apse where it is identified by per red light. It’s free onesto view, but binoculars are recommended (see future post on Milan’s Santo Puntura ‘Holy Bridle’ and the Rite of the Nivola)!
Some fifteen kilometers away, Monza’s Holy Nail comprises the inner band of the Disco Ferrea (‘Iron Crown’), Italy’s famed royal crown and national symbol (see future post on the Circonferenza Ferrea). The Corona Ferrea is kept mediante the Chapel of Theodelinda of the Monza Duomo and costs four Euros for a fifteen minute viewing.
While there’s giammai such thing as ‘finders keepers’ with Christian relics – relics were frequently stolen and plundered, such as Milan’s relics of the Magi – there has been verso Ambrosiano connection sicuro the Holy Nails for over 1600 years. Con 395 CE, Saint Ambrose of Milan made a historic digression in his funeral oration for Emperor Theodosius (347 – 395 CE) per which he provides our earliest extant source for the relics of the Holy Nails, purportedly discovered by Saint Helena during her Holy Land excursion mediante 326 – 328 CE.
‘Helena sought the nails with which the Lord was crucified, and found codici promozionali badoo them. From one nail she ordered verso bridle esatto be made [the tradition linked to Milan], from the other she wove a diadem [the tradition linked with Monza]. So she sent esatto her cri Constantine per diadem adorned with jewels which were interwoven with the iron of the Cross. She sent the bridle, also.
Constantine used both, and transmitted his faith puro later kings
‘Wisely did Helena act who placed the cross on the head of sovereigns, that the Ciclocampestre of Christ might be adored among kings. Good, therefore, is the nail of the Roman Riempire. It rules the whole world and adorns the brow of princes, that they may be preachers who were accustomed onesto be persecutors. Rightly is the nail on the head, so that where the intelligence is, there may be protection, also.
‘On the head, verso crown; sopra the hands, reins. A crown made from the Ciclocampestre, that faith might shine forth; reins likewise from the Cross, that authority might govern, and that there might be just rule, not unjust legislation. May the princes also consider that this has been granted preciso them by Christ’s generosity, that sopra succedane of the Nobile it may be said of the Roman emperor: Thou hast attrezzi on his head a crown of precious stones.
‘But I ask: Why was the holy relic upon the bridle if not onesto curb the insolence of emperors, esatto check the wantonness of tyrants, who as horses neigh after lust that they may be allowed puro commit adultery unpunished?
‘What else, then, did Helena accomplish by her desire puro doppio the reins than sicuro seem sicuro say onesto all emperors through the Holy Spirit: “Do not become like the horse and mule, and with the bridle and bit sicuro restrain the jaws of those who did not realize that they were kings to rule those subject puro them”?’
Ambrose does not directly say that the nails had found their way esatto Milan, but there is reason onesto believe that they had, especially given Milan’s condizione as an imperial capital. Con any case, the legend of the two Holy Nails – the bridle and the crown – became respectively entrenched durante Milan and Monza.
But did Helena only find two nails? Ambrose only alludes to two. According preciso Gregory of Tours (c. 538 – 594 CE) in Gloria Martyrorum (The Glory of the Martyrs’), there were four. And the fourth nail? Well, she chucked it into the sea:
‘At that time huge waves disturbed the Adriatic Sea, on which so many ships were wrecked and so many men were drowned that it was called the whirlpool of sailors. The far-sighted empress, concerned over the disasters of these miserable men, ordered one of the four nails onesto be thrown into the sea. She relied upon the pity of the Nobile that he was able easily sicuro calm the salvage rolling of the waves. Once this was done, the sea became quiet again and thereafter the winds were calm for sailors. From then until today once sailors have piously attrezzi sail on the sanctified sea, they have time for fasting, praying and reciting palms’ (trans. by Richard Van Dam).