Cathédrale et pèlerinage aux époques médiévale et moderne: Reliques, processions et devotions à l’église-mère du diocese (review)

A review of the volume 'Cathédrale et pèlerinage aux époques médiévale et moderne' challenges the traditional distinction between cathedral worship and pilgrimage, demonstrating that cathedrals, particularly as seats of bishopric power, actively attracted pilgrims through sacred relics, processions, and devotions. The 17 essays, spanning medieval to modern periods, analyze sites like Tournai, Paris, and Le Puy-en-Velay, revealing that cathedrals maintained their role as pilgrimage destinations even post-Medieval, with reinvigoration driven by new relics (e.g., the shroud in Besançon) and liturgical reforms. The study highlights blurred lines between processions and pilgrimages, exemplified by Tournai's pilgrimage traditions and Paris's 1449 deambulation, where 12,500 children participated in a mass procession. This synthesis underscores the enduring socio-religious significance of cathedrals beyond institutional boundaries.

Ashley, K. (2012). Cathédrale et pèlerinage aux époques médiévale et moderne: Reliques, processions et devotions à l’église-mère du diocese (review). The Catholic Historical Review, 98(3), 549–550. https://doi.org/10.1353/cat.2012.0215