Holy Ampulla

The Holy ampoule (French Sainte Ampoule ) was a one and a half centimeters tall glass vials in the form of an ampoule. The vial contained chrism, include an undefined olive oil. She came for the first time in 1131 at the coronation ceremony of King Louis VII by Pope Innocent II as an essential element of the coronation ceremony of the French royal house, the last time in 1774 at the coronation of Louis XVI. , Used. The vial was publicly destroyed during the French Revolution on October 7, 1793 by Philippe Rühl, according to a previous decision of the French National Convention in Reims. The contents of the vial was allowed to be brought to safety the day before.

Legend

At the baptism of Clovis I and his conversion to Catholic Christianity in 499 in Reims, the ancient capital of Belgica Secunda, should the local Bishop Remigius of Reims have already used the ampoule.

When the bishop during the coronation in the crowd in the church of Reims was not able to get to the place where the holy oils were kept prepared, the sky will open and be descended a pigeon with the Holy ampoule to the bishop. This legend is analogous to the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River was produced. Strove other European monarchies to the making of analogies to the Old Testament kingdom - about Saul, David or Solomon - alone could boast of France to have closed his kingdom on a divine basis in New Testament analogy. Even in the 16th century spoke the Gallic theologians of the person of the king as a monstrance of the divine will.

Therefore, the anointing of the king was one of the main components of the coronation ceremony - called in French Sacre. The candidate was anointed on head, hands, shoulder, neck and chest. Previously, the Holy ampoule in a solemn procession from the Abbey of Saint - Remi at Rheims, where she was kept in the high grave of St. Remigius was led into the cathedral.