Holy Face of Lucca

The Volto Santo of Lucca is a wooden crucifix in the cathedral of Lucca. It is revered as a relic from the Middle Ages. In Lucca it assumes the position of a patron saint, whose feast is celebrated on 14 September, the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross.

The Volto Santo is crucified in the long robe ( Colobium ), with a beard, long hair and open eyes. The crucifix is shown in the south aisle of the cathedral in a free-standing temple of Matteo Civitali of 1484. Today's cross is probably a copy of an older, which there was in the 11th century and should be landed after the legend 782 with a driver-less boat in the harbor of the then Bishop Luna City. After a confrontation between the two bishops of Lucca Luna and the latter had the cross been able to win at the end.

According to a medieval legend, the Cross of Nicodemus was carved and represents the true face of Christ dar. It should have arrived miraculously on a leaderless ship to Luna and there, because you could not agree on the venue, put on a bullock cart without handlebar have been, who came to hold only in Lucca.

Effect story

Since the 12th century the cross of the pilgrims was visited as a stopover on the way to Rome and spread his picture in Northern Europe. There are several similar crosses, which go back to the example of Lucca. These include the triumphal cross in Paul's Cathedral of Münster and Braunschweig Imervard Cross.

The seal image of the Stedinger from the 13th century shows a statue of Christ the Volto Santo - type. The statue was located west of the Bernese church and was venerated by the Communitas Stedingorum. The existence of this statue was one of the causes for the crusade, the Bremer Archbishop Gerhard II 1229-1234 led against the Stedinger. (See John Goehler, paths of faith, Stade 2006) The Volto Santo has influenced the development of sorrow legend. This has been G. Lace and JM Ritz shown in her book St. sorrow and Volto Santo ( Dusseldorf 1934).

The Feast of Santa Croce

The Volto Santo in Lucca takes the position of a patron saint, whose feast is celebrated on 14 September at a fixed elevation of the cross. The cross image is festively decorated with jewels. On the eve takes a hard procession from the church of San Frediano to the cross instead of in the cathedral. Previously, the Volto Santo was endorse in the hard procession. The route of the procession is lit by candles on the cornices of the houses. In addition to representatives of the political community, musical groups and people in historical costumes participate in even groups of the parish of the Archdiocese of Lucca, who had earlier paid by this date their control. The procession ends with the performance of a Motettone mentioned choral music that is written anew each year by a composer from Lucca. On the day itself, a Pontifical Mass is held in the cathedral.

In addition, a fair to be held and offered various cultural events in Settembre Lucchese.

Others

The Volto Santo was the motif of the embossed Lucca in coins.

Dante mentions the Volto Santo in the Divine Comedy in the 21st canto of the Inferno. A devil reigns a Lucchese councilors to, which is immersed in liquid pitch: " Here, the Volto Santo no place quite different than in the Serchio to swim here. " ( Qui non ha loco il Santo Volto: qui si Nuota altrimenti che nel Serchio! )

The procession and the fair has Heinrich Heine The city of Lucca in travel pictures ( travel pictures, Part Three, 1830) described satirically in the chapter.

Itemization

• Crucifix
• Lucca