Christ; The Holy Face; Volto Santo

Pilgrim badge from the shrine of the Holy Face in Lucca. The Italian town of Lucca was on the main route for pilgrims heading to Rome. Lucca was also a pilgrimage destination as it had a famous relic called the Volto Santo (‘Holy Face’), which was a larger than life figure of Jesus Christ on the cross, whose face was said to have been carved by an angel. This badge depicts Christ standing in front of the cross with his arms spread horizontally with no sign of the nails usually shown through his hands and feet. He wears a long, narrow, striped robe with a V-neck. Above Christ’s head and under his arms is a scatter of letters making up an inscription: ‘S[IGNVM SANCTI] VV/LTI/LVCEN/SIS’ (meaning ‘Sign of the Holy Face of Lucca’).