ANTIQUE 17TH CENTURY MOCKING FLAGELLATION OF CHRIST S JOHN OF MATHA BRONZE MEDAL For Sale

All our listed items are original Christian devotionals.Some may have been cleaned or polished before their arrival, by their lastcaretaker. Their use is for personal devotion.

This is a superb 17th century medal in wonderfulcondition that was worn by pilgrims and nuns during Holy Week more than 400years ago. The medal is 1.25 inches long (including the bale), 7/8 inch acrossand it is thick. It weighs 8 grams of bronze, and the patina is original. Thismedal comes to us from one of the convents we work with, and its sale will helptheir community.

John of Matha (1160--1213) was a Christian saint of the12th century and founder of the Order of the Most Holy Trinity, dedicated toransoming Christians who had been captured by marauders from North Africa (cf.Barbary corsairs).Between the eighth and the 15th centuries, Medieval Europewas in a state of intermittent warfare between the Christian kingdoms ofsouthern Europe and the Muslim polities of North Africa, southern France,Sicily, and portions of Spain. The redemption of captives is listed among thecorporal works of mercy. The period of the Crusades, when so many Christianswere in danger of falling into the hands of Muslims, witnessed the rise ofreligious orders vowed exclusively to this pious work. On 17 December 1198,they obtained the preliminary approval of Pope Innocent III for a new orderdedicated in honor of the Blessed Trinity for the redemption of Christiancaptives. In 1202 and 1210, John travelled to Tunisia himself and brought backcountless Christian slaves.

The medals dating can be confirmed on pages 2 & 3 ofthe book AN INTRODUCTION TO RELIGIOUS MEDALS, by Bob Forrest, and published byNUMISMATICA INTERNATIONAL in 2004. In addition, this book has chapters(outlined in the table of contents), describing each of the categories ofmedals, their possible place of pilgrimage (acquisition), and origin of themint where they were made. We recommend that anyone serious about collectingmedals from this period acquire a copy of this book.

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