ABSTRACT
On Palm Sunday of 1204, twelve Venetian crusaders ventured out from their ship into the chaotic city of Constantinople.1 They planned to steal relics. All twelve came from the parish of St. Simon the Prophet in Venice, and their intention was to take home the relics of their parish’s patron saint from the Church of St. Mary Chalkoprateia, located close to Hagia Sophia on the Golden Horn. The men had reconnoitered the premises a few days earlier, because one of the Venetians, Pietro Steno, had seen the relics while in the city on business in 1201, but needed to retrace his steps to find them again. With this accomplished, the conspirators made their plans, and on Palm Sunday had put them into motion. But the best laid plans of Venetian crusaders often went awry.
