Arca Santa
Encyclopedia
The Arca Santa is an oak reliquary
covered with silver-gilt decorated in the Romanesque style
. It is kept in the Cámara Santa of the Cathedral of San Salvador in Oviedo
. In 1934 the Cámara Santa suffered an explosion that severely damaged the Arca, which was carefully restored by Manuel Gómez-Moreno.
. The whole is covered in silver: front and both sides are repoussé, the back has a simple checkered pattern, and the flat lid is engraved with niello
. Appropriately for its size, the front panel is modelled after an altar front, depicting Christ in majesty
on a mandorla carried by four angels and flanked by the Twelve Apostles. The panel is bordered on all sides by a Kufesque inscription.
The left side is a narrative cycle of Christ's infancy in five scenes arranged in two registers, read counterclockwise from the top right. The two rows are separated by a band which reads: MARIA ET IOSEP POSUERUNT DOMINUM IN PRESEPIO ANIMALIU / ANGELUS APARUIT IOSEP DICENS FUGE IN EGIPTUM ET ESTO [IBI] ("Mary and Joseph put the Lord in the animals' manger / An angel appeared to Joseph saying, 'Flee into Egypt, and stay [there]"). The right side is also divided into two registers separated by a band of text. The top depicts Christ in a mandorla supported by two angels on the left and on the right Michael the Archangel, flanked by a cherub
and a seraph
, battling a dragon. The bottom row shows eight apostles in various poses, all apparently speaking. The band reads: ASCENDENS XPS IN ALTUM CAPTIVAM DUXIT CAPTIVITATE / MICAEL ARCANGELUS PUGNAVIT CUM DRACONE ("Ascending on high, Christ led the captive from captivity / Michael the Archangel fought with the dragon").
The lid bears a detailed portrayal of Christ's crucifixion, including the two thieves, the Virgin Mary, the "disciple whom Jesus loved" (John), angels with censer
s, and personifications of the sun and moon. Surrounding the scene there is a long inscription.
, pieces from the Crown of Thorns
and the Holy Sepulchre, some bread from the Last Supper
, and some of the Virgin's milk. There was also a crystalline ampulla
containing some blood from the Berytus icon, an image of Christ first reported at the Second Council of Nicaea
in 787 to have emitted blood after it had been pierced by some Jews. The reported contents of the Arca Santa "reflect interest in the humanity of Christ, the Holy Family, and the Holy Land itself". Besides relics of the Holy Family, the Old Testament
was represented in the Arca by the rod of Moses
and some manna
. Many relics of the apostles were contained in it, as well as the cloak which the Virgin reportedly gave to Ildephonsus of Toledo
.
The earliest recorded description of the Arca's contents is a notice added to an eleventh-century codex of Valenciennes
This notice may have been based on a guide prepared by some clerks of the church of Oviedo. The lid of the Arca also contains a partial list of contents in silver repoussé. Another contemporary source for the contents of the Arca is a letter of Osmond, Bishop of Astorga, addressed to Ida of Boulogne
, about the Marian relics one could see in Spain.
forced its removal to Toledo
, at that time the capital of the Visigoths. When the Muslims invaded Spain
—as a result of the Visigothic kings' sins, according to the Liber—in 711 the Arca was brought to Oviedo for safekeeping. Finally, in the early ninth century Alfonso II of Asturias
constructed a chapel dedicated to Saint Michael (the Cámara Santa) to house it. In this chapel, now an annex of the cathedral of Oviedo, it remains to this day. A similar account of the translation is included in the Liber chronicorum, a historical companion piece to the Liber testamentorum. This in turn influenced accounts in the Historia silense
, the Chronicon mundi, and De rebus Hispaniae
. Two biographies of Toribius of Astorga, the Estoria de sancto Toribio and the Vida de santo Toribio de Liébana, though they differ on many points, agree that Toribius took refuge in Spain with some relics from Jerusalem, where he had been guarding them, safely hidden in a wooden ark. While the Estoria presents a long list of items stored away in the Arca, the Vida mentions only a piece of wood from the True Cross and a jar which held the wine of Jesus' first miracle at Cana:
and dated it to 1075. On 13 March that year, according to Document 72 of the cathedral archives of Oviedo, Alfonso and Urraca had the reliquary opened in their presence and examined the contents. This document, dated 14 March, survives only in a thirteenth-century copy, and its authenticity has been questioned. It may have been produced to bolster the claims of Oviedo and its shrine against those of Santiago.
Reliquary
A reliquary is a container for relics. These may be the physical remains of saints, such as bones, pieces of clothing, or some object associated with saints or other religious figures...
covered with silver-gilt decorated in the Romanesque style
Romanesque art
Romanesque art refers to the art of Western Europe from approximately 1000 AD to the rise of the Gothic style in the 13th century, or later, depending on region. The preceding period is increasingly known as the Pre-Romanesque...
. It is kept in the Cámara Santa of the Cathedral of San Salvador in Oviedo
Oviedo
Oviedo is the capital city of the Principality of Asturias in northern Spain. It is also the name of the municipality that contains the city....
. In 1934 the Cámara Santa suffered an explosion that severely damaged the Arca, which was carefully restored by Manuel Gómez-Moreno.
Description
The Arca is a black oak box 72 by 119 by 93 cm, which is unusually large for a reliquary, more typical of the size of a small portable altar. It was constructed without nails, perhaps in imitation of Solomon's TempleSolomon's Temple
Solomon's Temple, also known as the First Temple, was the main temple in ancient Jerusalem, on the Temple Mount , before its destruction by Nebuchadnezzar II after the Siege of Jerusalem of 587 BCE....
. The whole is covered in silver: front and both sides are repoussé, the back has a simple checkered pattern, and the flat lid is engraved with niello
Niello
Niello is a black mixture of copper, silver, and lead sulphides, used as an inlay on engraved or etched metal. It can be used for filling in designs cut from metal...
. Appropriately for its size, the front panel is modelled after an altar front, depicting Christ in majesty
Christ in Majesty
Christ in Majesty, or Christ in Glory, in Latin Majestas Domini, is the Western Christian image of Christ seated on a throne as ruler of the world, always seen frontally in the centre of the composition, and often flanked by other sacred figures, whose membership changes over time and according to...
on a mandorla carried by four angels and flanked by the Twelve Apostles. The panel is bordered on all sides by a Kufesque inscription.
The left side is a narrative cycle of Christ's infancy in five scenes arranged in two registers, read counterclockwise from the top right. The two rows are separated by a band which reads: MARIA ET IOSEP POSUERUNT DOMINUM IN PRESEPIO ANIMALIU / ANGELUS APARUIT IOSEP DICENS FUGE IN EGIPTUM ET ESTO [IBI] ("Mary and Joseph put the Lord in the animals' manger / An angel appeared to Joseph saying, 'Flee into Egypt, and stay [there]"). The right side is also divided into two registers separated by a band of text. The top depicts Christ in a mandorla supported by two angels on the left and on the right Michael the Archangel, flanked by a cherub
Cherub
A cherub is a type of spiritual being mentioned in the Hebrew Bible and cited later on in the Christian biblical canons, usually associated with the presence of God...
and a seraph
Seraph
A seraph is a type of celestial being in Judaism and Christianity...
, battling a dragon. The bottom row shows eight apostles in various poses, all apparently speaking. The band reads: ASCENDENS XPS IN ALTUM CAPTIVAM DUXIT CAPTIVITATE / MICAEL ARCANGELUS PUGNAVIT CUM DRACONE ("Ascending on high, Christ led the captive from captivity / Michael the Archangel fought with the dragon").
The lid bears a detailed portrayal of Christ's crucifixion, including the two thieves, the Virgin Mary, the "disciple whom Jesus loved" (John), angels with censer
Censer
Censers are any type of vessels made for burning incense. These vessels vary greatly in size, form, and material of construction. They may consist of simple earthenware bowls or fire pots to intricately carved silver or gold vessels, small table top objects a few centimetres tall to as many as...
s, and personifications of the sun and moon. Surrounding the scene there is a long inscription.
Contents
Unusually for reliquaries of the Early Middle Ages, the Arca contained the relics of several saints. The most precious were a piece of the True CrossTrue Cross
The True Cross is the name for physical remnants which, by a Christian tradition, are believed to be from the cross upon which Jesus was crucified.According to post-Nicene historians, Socrates Scholasticus and others, the Empress Helena The True Cross is the name for physical remnants which, by a...
, pieces from the Crown of Thorns
Crown of Thorns
In Christianity, the Crown of Thorns, one of the instruments of the Passion, was woven of thorn branches and placed on Jesus Christ before his crucifixion...
and the Holy Sepulchre, some bread from the Last Supper
Last Supper
The Last Supper is the final meal that, according to Christian belief, Jesus shared with his Twelve Apostles in Jerusalem before his crucifixion. The Last Supper provides the scriptural basis for the Eucharist, also known as "communion" or "the Lord's Supper".The First Epistle to the Corinthians is...
, and some of the Virgin's milk. There was also a crystalline ampulla
Ampulla
An ampulla was, in Ancient Rome, a "small nearly globular flask or bottle, with two handles" . The word is used of these in archaeology, and of later flasks, often handle-less and much flatter, for holy water or holy oil in the Middle Ages....
containing some blood from the Berytus icon, an image of Christ first reported at the Second Council of Nicaea
Second Council of Nicaea
The Second Council of Nicaea is regarded as the Seventh Ecumenical Council by Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, Eastern Catholic Churches and various other Western Christian groups...
in 787 to have emitted blood after it had been pierced by some Jews. The reported contents of the Arca Santa "reflect interest in the humanity of Christ, the Holy Family, and the Holy Land itself". Besides relics of the Holy Family, the Old Testament
Old Testament
The Old Testament, of which Christians hold different views, is a Christian term for the religious writings of ancient Israel held sacred and inspired by Christians which overlaps with the 24-book canon of the Masoretic Text of Judaism...
was represented in the Arca by the rod of Moses
Moses
Moses was, according to the Hebrew Bible and Qur'an, a religious leader, lawgiver and prophet, to whom the authorship of the Torah is traditionally attributed...
and some manna
Manna
Manna or Manna wa Salwa , sometimes or archaically spelled mana, is the name of an edible substance that God provided for the Israelites during their travels in the desert according to the Bible.It was said to be sweet to the taste, like honey....
. Many relics of the apostles were contained in it, as well as the cloak which the Virgin reportedly gave to Ildephonsus of Toledo
Ildephonsus of Toledo
Saint Ildefonsus or Ildephonsus was the metropolitan bishop of Toledo from 657 until his death. He was a Visigoth and his Gothic name was Hildefuns, which evolved into the Castilian name Alfonso. Ildefonsus, however, is known as San Ildefonso in Castilian and there are several places named after him...
.
The earliest recorded description of the Arca's contents is a notice added to an eleventh-century codex of Valenciennes
Valenciennes
Valenciennes is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.It lies on the Scheldt river. Although the city and region had seen a steady decline between 1975 and 1990, it has since rebounded...
This notice may have been based on a guide prepared by some clerks of the church of Oviedo. The lid of the Arca also contains a partial list of contents in silver repoussé. Another contemporary source for the contents of the Arca is a letter of Osmond, Bishop of Astorga, addressed to Ida of Boulogne
Ida of Lorraine
Ida of Lorraine was a saint and noblewoman.She was the daughter of Godfrey III, Duke of Lower Lorraine and his wife, Doda. Ida's grandfather was Gothelo I, Duke of Lorraine and Ida's brother was Godfrey IV, Duke of Lower Lorraine.-Family:In 1057, she married Eustace II of Boulogne...
, about the Marian relics one could see in Spain.
Legend
Legends concerning the origins of the Arca Santa spread widely in the Middle Ages, and can be found in no less than ten sources between the eleventh and fourteenth centuries. In the Liber testamentorum, composed around 1120 to record all the gifts and privileges received by the diocese of Oviedo, some disciples of the twelve apostles are given credit for constructing the Arca in Jerusalem, where it is said to have remained until Chosroes II conquered the city in 614. At that time it was moved to Africa. The Islamic invasionUmayyad conquest of North Africa
The Umayyad conquest of North Africa continued the century of rapid Arab Muslim expansion following the death of Muhammad in 632 CE. By 640 the Arabs controlled Mesopotamia, had invaded Armenia, and were concluding their conquest of Byzantine Syria. Damascus was the seat of the Umayyad caliphate....
forced its removal to Toledo
Toledo, Spain
Toledo's Alcázar became renowned in the 19th and 20th centuries as a military academy. At the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War in 1936 its garrison was famously besieged by Republican forces.-Economy:...
, at that time the capital of the Visigoths. When the Muslims invaded Spain
Umayyad conquest of Hispania
The Umayyad conquest of Hispania is the initial Islamic Ummayad Caliphate's conquest, between 711 and 718, of the Christian Visigothic Kingdom of Hispania, centered in the Iberian Peninsula, which was known to them under the Arabic name al-Andalus....
—as a result of the Visigothic kings' sins, according to the Liber—in 711 the Arca was brought to Oviedo for safekeeping. Finally, in the early ninth century Alfonso II of Asturias
Alfonso II of Asturias
Alfonso II , called the Chaste, was the king of Asturias from 791 to his death, the son of Fruela I and the Basque Munia.He was born in Oviedo in 759 or 760. He was put under the guardianship of his aunt Adosinda after his father's death, but one tradition relates his being put in the monastery of...
constructed a chapel dedicated to Saint Michael (the Cámara Santa) to house it. In this chapel, now an annex of the cathedral of Oviedo, it remains to this day. A similar account of the translation is included in the Liber chronicorum, a historical companion piece to the Liber testamentorum. This in turn influenced accounts in the Historia silense
Historia silense
The Historia silense, also called the Chronica silense or Historia seminense, is a medieval Latin narrative history of the Iberian Peninsula from the time of the Visigoths to the first years of the reign of Alfonso VI of León and Castile...
, the Chronicon mundi, and De rebus Hispaniae
De rebus Hispaniae
De rebus Hispaniae or Historia gothica is a history of the Iberian peninsula written in Latin by Archbiship of Toledo Rodrigo Jiménez de Rada en the first half of the thirteenth century on behalf of King Ferdinand III of Castile....
. Two biographies of Toribius of Astorga, the Estoria de sancto Toribio and the Vida de santo Toribio de Liébana, though they differ on many points, agree that Toribius took refuge in Spain with some relics from Jerusalem, where he had been guarding them, safely hidden in a wooden ark. While the Estoria presents a long list of items stored away in the Arca, the Vida mentions only a piece of wood from the True Cross and a jar which held the wine of Jesus' first miracle at Cana:
E en cabo de los tres años aparescióle otra vez el ángel de Dios e díxole:
— Turibio, lleva las reliquias a las partidas de España ca sepas que toda esta tierra a de seer destruyda de moros.
E santo Turibio fizo luego assí e puso las reliquias en la barca, entre las quales traxo primeramente un pedaço de la cruz donde fue crucificado el nuestro salvador Jhesu Christo, e una tinaja de las en que consagró del agua vino e de otras muchas reliquias de santos e santas.
And at the end of the three years the angel of God appeared to him again and said to him: "Turibius, carry the relics to the parts of Spain because you know that all this land must be destroyed by the Moors." And Saint Turibius then did thus and put the relics on the ship, among which were firstly a piece of the cross where our saviour Jesus Christ was crucified, and one of the jars in which he consecrated the water wine, and many other relics of saints men and women.
History
Traditionally, historians have credited the adornment of the Arca and the Cámara to Alfonso VI of León and his sister Urraca of ZamoraUrraca of Zamora
Urraca was a Leonese infanta, one of the five children of Ferdinand I the Great, who received the city of Zamora as her inheritance and exercised palatine authority in it...
and dated it to 1075. On 13 March that year, according to Document 72 of the cathedral archives of Oviedo, Alfonso and Urraca had the reliquary opened in their presence and examined the contents. This document, dated 14 March, survives only in a thirteenth-century copy, and its authenticity has been questioned. It may have been produced to bolster the claims of Oviedo and its shrine against those of Santiago.