The Big Market for Holy Relics
Filed under: Art
Interested in owning the skull of a martyr or the tooth of a saint? Apparently lots of people are, as the market for religious artifacts is booming. It takes a lot of faith to both be in the business of dealing holy relics and in that of buying them, as very few can be proven authentic beyond a shadow of a doubt. Although many newer pieces (i.e. objects touched by the Pope) are easily verified through photographs (when they're available) historical items from ages past are more about believing than anything else. And why else would you spend $975 on a wooden splinter from the True Cross that's so small you need a magnifying glass to see it, if you didn't simply believe?
