Ladies’ fingers and clerics’ thumbs:

Digital relics in the careers of Jacques of Vitry (d. 1240) and Thomas of Cantimpré (d. 1272)

Alicia Spencer-Hallalicia.spencer-hall.10@ucl.ac.uk

Paris, BnF, Fr. MS 12584, f.61r

Marie’s finger phylactery (1226-1230)

Front Back

HIC : EST: IVNCTVRA: BEATE: MARIA : DE : OIGNIES

Gilded copper over wood core, coloured

glass, rock crystal, enammelled

copper.22cm diameter.

In effect, each [secular canon] used to judge himself unworthy and unfit, following the example of the blessed evangelist Marc who cut off his own thumb to avoid becoming bishop: they used to flee, they piled up objections, they rejected dignities by all possible means. But these days, there are many canons – with good reason called secular – who would have four thumbs in order to become bishop!

- Jacques of Vitry, Historia occidentalis, p. 151-52 [my translation]

Jaques of Vitry’s seal as Bishop of

Acre

…With what charity I love you, with what sincere love I embrace you, he knows who knows all things (ipse novit, qui omnia novit). When I was not yet fifteen years old and you were not a bishop, I heard you preaching in Lotharingia. I loved you with such veneration that I was happy just at the sound of your name. From then on a special love for you stayed with me.

- Thomas of Cantimpré, Supplement, p. 164

Brass rubbing of plaque depicting Jacques of VitryPlaque dates From 1263; in Barbeau Abbey, Fontaine-le-Port, Seine-et-Marne, France.

Let no envious person snap at me or judge me accusingly if I embrace Lutgard’s finger with such love…[Jacques] of pious memory, the former bishop of Acre and later cardinal of the Roman Curia, cut off the venerable Marie of Oignies’s finger when she died, though she was not yet canonized. He gave it as an especially valuable gift to Pope Gregory IX of solemn memory, who wore it suspended around his neck for many years against the spirit of blasphemy, by which he was atrociously tempted.

- Thomas of Cantimpré, Life of Lutgard, p. 291

Lutgard on her deathbedHs. Copenhague, Kongelige Bibliotek, Ny kongelige samling; 168 quarto f.168v.

- Thomas of Cantimpré, Life of Lutgard, p. 290

“It will be enough for you if you are able to have this finger after

my death.”

“I believe your hand would be good for my soul and body if I manage to get it, as I

intend.”

“No part of your body could be

enough for me, mother, unless I had your

hand or head to comfort me

when I am bereft of your whole self.”

THOMAS

LUTGARD

“I have heard, dearest son, that you are already planning to cut off my hand after I die. I

cannot imagine what you plan to do with my hand!”

He lay the head down on his knee and grasped the chin with his right hand while he pushed down hard on the forehead with his left hand. …he was unable to open her teeth or even her lips. Then he tried a knife and other iron tools to no

avail…

He…addressed the sacred body “…I ask and implore your

gentle charity that you kindly allow me to receive some of your teeth as solace for my

sorrow. …”

A wondrous thing! …the lifeless corpse, as though it were pleased with these words of the suppliant, opened its mouth and, of its own accord,

shook out seven teeth into the hands of the prior.

- Thomas of Cantimpré, Supplement, p. 152