Devotion to the Crown of Thorns and the promises of Jesus

The history of the Holy Thorns (like that of many other relics) is based mostly on unverifiable medieval traditions. The first certain information dates back to the XNUMXth century, but legendary events are also connected to these relics.

In the golden legend of Jacopo da Varagine it is said that the cross on which Jesus Christ died, as well as the crown of thorns and other instruments of the Passion, were collected and hidden by some disciples. Around 320 the mother of Emperor Constantine, Elena, cleared the rubble that had accumulated around Golgotha, the hill of the Crucifixion, in Jerusalem. On that occasion, the relics of the Passion would come to light. Always according to this book, Elena would have brought to Rome a part of the cross, a nail, a thorn from the crown and a fragment of the inscription that Pilate had had affixed to the cross. Other relics remained in Jerusalem, including the entire crown of thorns.

Towards 1063 the crown was brought to Constantinople and it certainly remained there until 1237, when the Latin emperor Baldovino II handed it over to some Venetian merchants, obtaining a considerable loan (a source speaks of 13.134 gold coins). At the end of the loan, King Louis IX of France, urged by Baldwin II, purchased the crown and brought it to Paris, hosting it in his palace until the Sainte-Chapelle was completed, solemnly inaugurated in 1248. The treasure of the Sainte Chapelle was largely destroyed during the French Revolution, so that the Crown is now devoid of almost all thorns.

However, during the journey to Paris, numerous thorns had been removed to be donated to churches and shrines for particular meritorious reasons; other thorns were donated by successive French rulers to princes and clergymen as a sign of friendship. For these reasons, many French, but above all Italian, localities boast of possessing one or more Holy Thorns of the crown of Christ.

Jesus said: “The souls who have contemplated and honored my Crown of Thorns on earth will be my crown of glory in Heaven.

I give my Crown of Thorns to my beloved ones, It is a property of property
of my favorite brides and souls.
... Here is this Front that has been pierced for your love and for the merits of which you
you will have to be crowned one day.

... My Thorns are not just those that surrounded my Boss during
crucifixion. I always have a crown of thorns around the heart:
men's sins are as many thorns ... "

It is recited on a common Rosary crown.

On the major grains:

Crown of Thorns, consecrated by God for the redemption of the world,
for sins of thought, purge the mind of those who pray to you so much. Amen

On minor grains it is repeated 10 times:

For your SS. painful Crown of Thorns, forgive me o Jesus.

It ends by repeating three times:

Crown of thorns consecrated by God ... In the Name of the Father of the Son

and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.