a possession that was thought to have belonged to a saint seemed
to cure effectively, then myths about the objects grew.
This success
brought great attention to the house of worship that claimed ownership
of the relic, and that church soon became the site of mass
pilgrimages, which brought an increase of attention and income.
Pilgrimages brought generous donations, and so churches could
create shrines decorated with gems and gold, which heightened
the reputation of the saint honored. A good example of this was
the Thomas à Becket shrine that was located in Canterbury Cathedral.
(Geoffrey Chaucer’s classic The Canterbury Tales was about
a pilgrimage there.) The shrine was destroyed during the time of
Henry VIII (1491–1547).
Some made pilgrimages to shrines as a sign of devotion to
God; others did so to give thanks for a positive development in
their lives; still others came seeking a cure. A more arduous trip
was thought to give the pilgrim added leverage when making his
or her plea. Many added hardship to their journey by walking
instead of riding horseback, or making as big a financial gift to the
shrine as they could afford, with the hope of being rewarded.
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