Once I was a clever boy learning the arts of Oxford... is a quotation from the verses written by Bishop Richard Fleming (c.1385-1431) for his tomb in Lincoln Cathedral. Fleming, the founder of Lincoln College in Oxford, is the subject of my research for a D. Phil., and, like me, a son of the West Riding. I have remarked in the past that I have a deeply meaningful on-going relationship with a dead fifteenth century bishop... it was Fleming who, in effect, enabled me to come to Oxford and to learn its arts, and for that I am immensely grateful.


Sunday 31 July 2011

More on the Holy Hand of Reading


Further to my post about the Holy Hand of Reading I see that last weekend the relic was on display for veneration in St James' Catholic church in Reading, which adjoins the site of the north transept of the abbey church. Therte is an article from the Reading Chronicle about the occasion here. I feel rather disappointed that I did not know beforehand about the visit of the relic and the accompanying lecture and other events as I would have tried to get to Reading to participate in the pilgrimage. Maybe another time.



The Holy Hand today

Image: Reading Chronicle

Here are two pictures of the 1467 reliquary of the hand of St Babylas in the Guelph Treasure in Brunswick, which gives an idea of how the relic might have been displayed in the middle ages.

http://www.kornbluthphoto.com/images/PMAArmRel1.jpg

http://www.kornbluthphoto.com/images/PMAArmRel3.jpg


Images: Genevra Kornbluth www.kornbluthphoto.com/Saints1.html


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