Episcopal City of Albi

La relique, le reliquaire et le récit hagiographique : des relations ambiguës (diocèses de Mende et de Toulouse) ?

Relics in medieval monastic spaces often lack accompanying hagiographic narratives, challenging the assumption that such stories are essential to their cult. A study of southern French dioceses reveals that relics can function independently, structuring urban space and identity without traditional hagiographic support. The research compares relic inventories, liturgical manuscripts, and reliquary iconography—such as a 13th-century Toulousan reliquary that visually expands the legend of St. Exupery—to demonstrate how relics can transcend written narratives. Additionally, the absence of prestigious relics in certain cathedrals spurred late medieval hagiographic text creation, highlighting their dual role: both as symbols of power and catalysts for storytelling.