ABSTRACT
The translation of the bones of the Three Holy Kings from Milan to Cologne in 1164 by Archbishop Rainald of Dassel made Cologne Cathedral one of the most important pilgrim sites in Europe. Sometime between 1190 and 1220–30, a golden châsse was made to house the relics, with its iconographic programme referring to the relics’ legitimizing role for the German Kingdom. The location of the shrine in the old Carolingian Cathedral is not well known. In the existing Gothic construction, begun in 1248, the crossing was intended to be the location in which the shrine would later be displayed. Due to the long construction time, this was never realized, and the relics remained in the axial chapel for centuries. Medieval pilgrims’ badges found in various parts of Europe bear witness to the importance of the pilgrimage to Cologne. Later, the “Three-Magi-letters” – prayer-leaflets of paper or silk, brought in touch with the skulls – became popular. The bones were examined in 1864. Recent investigations revealed the wrapping fabrics as late ancient silk, woven as block damask with a purple border and gold threads. Fabrics like this were exclusively produced in the Syrian region during the second and third century, testament to the relics’ long history of veneration.
