Thousands of visitors from all around the world rush to Notre-Dame cathedral every day to pray before the Crown of Thorns. Kept in this impressive chasse-reliquary, the relic is visible on the first Friday of the month. The center of the reliquary then slides and reveals the Crown of Thorns on a blue background, giving the impression that it floats, out of time and space.
The Holy Crown of Thorns was discovered in the 4th century by Helena, emperor Constantine’s mother, along with other objects such as a fragment of the True Cross. The Holy Relics were kept in Constantinople for many centuries until the Byzantine emperor who struggled financially sold them to Saint Louis. The French sovereign then brought them to Notre-Dame cathedral, barefoot as an humble pilgrim, on August 19th 1239. Afterwards, he had the Sainte-Chapelle built to keep them permanently.
