'The Shrine of the Three Kings' (
German ''Dreikönigsschrein'') is a
reliquary said to contain the bones of the
Three Wise Men, also known as the Three Kings or the Magi. The shrine is a large gilded and decorated triple
sarcophagus placed above and behind the
high altar of
Cologne Cathedral. It is considered the high point of
Mosan art and the largest reliquary in the western world.
History
The
relics of the Magi were originally situated at Constantinople, but brought to Milan by
Eustorgius I, the
city's bishop, in
344. The
relics of the Magi were taken from
Milan by
Holy Roman Emperor Fredrick Barbarossa and given to the
Archbishop of Cologne,
Rainald of Dassel in
1164. The Three Kings have since attracted a constant stream of
pilgrims to Cologne.
Parts of the shrine were designed by the famous medieval goldsmith,
Nicholas of Verdun, who began work on it in
1180 or
1181. It has elaborate gold sculptures of the prophets and apostles, and scenes from the life of Christ. The shrine was completed ''circa''
1225.
Around
1199, King
Otto gave three golden crowns made for the three wise men as a present to the church of Cologne: "Otto rex coloniensis curiam celebrans tres coronas de auro capitibus trium magorum imposuit"; MGSS 17, 292. Because of the importance of the shrine and the cathedral for the later development of the city, the
Coat of Arms of Cologne still shows these three crowns symbolizing the Three Kings.
Construction of the present Cologne Cathedral was begun in
1248 to house these important relics. The cathedral took 632 years to complete and is now the largest
Gothic church in northern Europe.
On
July 20th,
1864, the shrine was opened, and remains of the Three Kings and the coins of
Philip I, Archbishop of Cologne were discovered. An eyewitness report reads:
:"In a special compartment of the shrine now there showed - along with remains of ancient old rotten or moulded bandages, most likely byssus, besides pieces of aromatic resins and similar substances - numerous bones of three persons, which under the guidance of several present experts could be assembled into nearly complete bodies: the one in his early youth, the second in his early manhood, the third was rather aged. Two coins, bracteates made of silver and only one side striken, were adjoined; one, provably from the days of ''Philipps von Heinsberg'', displayed a church (''See Note''), the other showed a cross, accompanied by the sword of jurisdiction, and the crosier (bishop's crook) on either side."
[1]
::''Note'': "Just as the coin of Philipp in ''Hartzheim, historia rei nummariae coloniensis'' Table 3 No. 14, 16, (1754)
[2], yet without its circumscription; the other (coin) is in square form, showed in the center a cross, accompanied by the sword of jurisdiction, and the crosier (bishop's crook) on either side, also without transcription, most certainly it is not younger and can be assumed perhaps to turn out to be a coin by Rainald [of Dassel].")
[3]
The bones were wrapped in white
silk and returned to the shrine.
Description
Size and construction
The Shrine of the Three Kings is approximately 43 inches (110 cm) wide, 60 inches (153 cm) high, and 87 inches (220 cm) long. It is shaped like a
basilica: two sarcophagi stand next to each other, with the third sarcophagus resting on their roof ridges. The ends are completely covered, so there is no space visible between the sarcophagi. The basic structure is made of
wood, with
gold and
silver overlay decorated with
filigree,
enamel, and over 1000
jewels and beads. The latter include a large number of
cameos and
intaglio pieces, some even pre-Christian.
Decoration
The entire outside of the shrine is covered with an elaborate decorative overlay. There are 74
bas-relief figures in
gilded silver in all, not counting smaller additional figures in the background decoration. On the sides, images of the
prophets decorate the lower part, while images of the
apostles and
evangelists decorate the upper part. On one end, there are (across the bottom, from left to right) images of the
Adoration of the Magi,
Mary enthroned with the infant
Jesus, and the
Baptism of Christ, and above, Christ enthroned at the
Last Judgement. The other end shows scenes of the
Passion: the
scourging of Christ (lower left) and his
crucifixion (lower left) with the
resurrected Christ above. This end also has a bust of
Rainald of Dassel in the center.
The shrine in fiction
In the
novel ''
Baudolino'' (2000),
Umberto Eco describes the discovery and subsequent donation of the Magi's relics as an elaborate
12th century hoax perpetrated by the title character.
In the novel ''
Map of Bones'' (2005) by
James Rollins, the Shrine contains gold in its
monatomic state, produced by the
Magi, as opposed to holy relics.
In the novel "The Bishop and the Three Kings," bishop-detective
Father John Blackwood "Blackie" Ryan must solve the mysterious theft of the shrine with his usal blend of good humour and good theology (
Andrew Greeley, 1998).
Notes
1. German original:
:"In einer besonderen Abteilung des Schreins zeigten sich nun mit den Resten uralter vermoderter Binden, wahrscheinlich Byssus, nebst Stuecken aromatischer Harze und aehnlicher Substanzen die zahlreichen Gebeine dreier Personen, die mit Beihilfe der anwesenden Sachverstaendigen sich zu fast vollstaendigen Koerpern ordnen liessen: der eine aus erster Jugendzeit, der zweite im ersten Mannesalter, der dritte bejahrt. Zwei Muenzen, Bracteaten von Silber und nur auf einer Seite gepraegt, lagen bei; die eine, erweislich aus den Tagen Philipps von Heinsberg, zeigt eine Kirche (''See Note''), die andere ein Kreuz, das Jurisdictionsschwert an der einen, den Bischofsstab an der anderen Seite. (Floss, ''Dreikoenigenbuch'', 1864, page 108)
2. Hartzheim, Josephus, ''Historia Rei Nummariæ Coloniensis, Et Dissertationes De Eadem: Pars prima, De Nummis Archiepiscoporum Coloniensium, Pars Secunda, De Nummis Ducum Juliacensium & Montensium, & Agnatorum Genti Juliacensi, Pars Tertia. De Nummis Civitatis Coloniensis'', 1754
3. German original:
:"Ganz so wie die Muenze Philipps bei Hartzheim historia rei nummariae coloniensis Tafel 3 Nr. 14, 16, doch ohne die Umschrift; die andere in viereckiger Form, in der Mitte ein Kreuz, das Jurisdictionsschwert an der einen, den Bischofsstab an der anderen Seite, auch ohne Umschrift, ist jedenfalls nicht juenger und duerfte sich vielleicht als eine Muenze Rainald's erweisen." (Floss, ''Dreikoenigenbuch'', 1864, page 108)
External links
★
Information concerning the relics of the three kings (in German)
★
Images of the shrine Requires some navigation: go to "image database", click "simple search", type "dreikoenigenschrein" in "text" field, and click "search".
★
Find A Grave: Shrine images
★
Mark Rose, "The Three Kings & the Star"
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