San Martino Cathedral — Pilgrims, Relics and the Via Francigena
Listen at the stop, then read the transcript and follow the sources behind the story.
Listen
Transcript
Lucca stood on the Via Francigena, the long route linking northern Europe with Rome. The cathedral was therefore part of an international network of pilgrims, hostels, trade and devotion.
Its most famous devotional object is the Volto Santo, a large wooden crucifix surrounded by medieval legends about miraculous origins. Those legends should be treated as religious tradition, not as independently verified events. Historically, the cult attracted pilgrims, gifts and prestige.
The same building also contains elite Renaissance patronage, including the tomb of Ilaria del Carretto. Pilgrimage and aristocratic art met in one institution because churches were spiritual, economic and political centres at the same time.