The Making and Unmaking of a Wax Saint

Following the French Revolution, the papacy exported large numbers of previously unknown martyrial relics from the Roman catacombs. Many of those that went to France were enhanced with wax faces, hands, and feet, as well as fine clothing. Their lifelike features made them less macabre and more conducive to veneration than plain skeletons. Ultramontane clerics such as the influential abbot Prosper Guéranger initially encouraged their circulation in France to bolster the revival of Catholic religiosity and loyalty to Rome. This essay focuses on the transfer (translation) of Saint Leontius, whom Guéranger brought to his recently founded abbey of Solesmes (Sarthe) in May 1838. The youthful simulacrum of this otherwise unknown saint was intended to attract the faithful and foster closer ties between Rome and the newly founded abbey. Instead, Leontius became the target of criticism by those dubious about his appearance and authenticity. When his cult did not attract substantial numbers of adherents and Leontius's wax covering began to decay, the monastery transferred his relics to a gold reliquary in 1859. The steadily shrinking role of Leontius at Solesmes was the result of the development of more scientific approaches to history and archaeology, which also lessened the effectiveness of wax catacomb martyrs in encouraging religious devotion

Aisle · Criticism · Cult · Martyr · Patron saint · SAINT · Veneration · Archaeological Research and Protection · European Political History Analysis · Historical and Religious Studies of Rome