She turned the one to an ornamental, the other onesto a devotional, use

Helena used one puro make the crown and two con reinforcing the bridle

With respect puro the relics of the Crucifixion – the so-called arma Christi (‘weapons of Christ, or Instruments of the Passion) – Lombardy has long since cornered the market on the Holy Nails. Milan’s Holy Nail (Retto Idea) is securely fixed esatto the apice of the Duomo’s apse where it is identified by verso red light. It’s free preciso view, but binoculars are recommended (see future post on Milan’s Santo Puntura ‘Holy Bridle’ and the Rite of the Nivola)!

Some fifteen kilometers away, Monza’s Holy Nail comprises the inner band of the Circonferenza Ferrea (‘Iron Crown’), Italy’s famed royal crown and national symbol (see future post on the Corona Ferrea). The Corona Ferrea is kept per the Chapel of Theodelinda of the Monza Cattedrale and costs four Euros for verso fifteen minute viewing.

While there’s giammai such thing as ‘finders keepers’ with Christian relics – relics were frequently stolen and plundered, such as Milan’s relics of the Magi – there has been per Ambrosiano connection onesto the Holy Nails for over 1600 years. Mediante 395 CE, Saint Ambrose of Milan made per historic digression per his funeral oration for Emperor Theodosius (347 – 395 CE) durante which he provides our earliest extant source for the relics of the Holy Nails, purportedly discovered by Saint Helena during her Holy Land excursion per 326 – 328 CE.

‘Helena sought the nails with which the Nobile was crucified, and found them. From one nail she ordered per bridle puro be made [the tradition linked sicuro Milan], from the other she wove a diadem [the tradition linked with Monza]. So she sent to her bourdonnement Constantine a diadem adorned with jewels which were interwoven with the iron of the Ciclocampestre. She sent the bridle, also.

Constantine used both, and transmitted his faith to later kings

‘Wisely did Helena act who placed the cross on the head of sovereigns, that the Ciclocampestre of Christ might be adored among kings. Good, therefore, is the nail of the Roman Commuovere. It rules the whole world and adorns the brow of princes, that they may be preachers who were accustomed to be persecutors. Rightly is the nail on the head, so that where the intelligence is, there may be protection, also.

‘On the head, a crown; mediante the hands, reins. A crown made from the Cross, that faith might shine forth; reins likewise from the Ciclocross, that authority might govern, and that there might be just rule, not unjust legislation. May the princes also consider that this has been granted sicuro them by Christ’s generosity, that durante substitut of the Nobile it may be said of the Roman emperor: Thou hast set on his head a crown of precious stones.

‘But I ask: Why was the holy relic upon the bridle if not puro curb the insolence of emperors, esatto check the wantonness of tyrants, who as horses neigh after lust that they may be allowed sicuro commit adultery unpunished?

‘What else, then, did Helena accomplish by her desire sicuro rotaie the reins than to seem sicuro say preciso all emperors through the Holy Spirit: “Do not become like the horse and mule, and with the bridle and bit sicuro restrain the jaws of those who did not realize that they were kings preciso rule those subject onesto them”?’

Ambrose does not directly say that the nails had found their way esatto Milan, but there is reason puro believe that they had, especially given Milan’s stato as an imperial capital. Con any case, the legend of the two Holy Nails – the bridle and the crown – became respectively entrenched sopra Milan and Monza.

But did Helena only find two nails? Ambrose only alludes to two. According onesto Gregory of Tours (c. 538 – 594 CE) per Popolarita http://www.datingranking.net/it/telegraph-dating-review Martyrorum (The Glory of the Martyrs’), there were four. And the fourth nail? Well, she chucked it into the sea:

‘At that time huge waves disturbed the Adriatic Sea, on which so many ships were wrecked and so many men were drowned that it was called the whirlpool of sailors. The far-sighted empress, concerned over the disasters of these miserable men, ordered one of the four nails preciso be thrown into the sea. She relied upon the pity of the Raffinato that he was able easily preciso calm the salvage rolling of the waves. Once this was done, the sea became quiet again and thereafter the winds were calm for sailors. From then until today once sailors have piously set sail on the sanctified sea, they have time for fasting, praying and reciting palms’ (trans. by Richard Van Dam).