The Crown in the Fire

 Is the Crown of Thorns in Notre-Dame Real?

On April 15, 2019, the world watched in horror as flames engulfed the roof of the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris. As the spire collapsed and the lead melted, a different drama was playing out inside the burning building.

A courageous priest, Father Jean-Marc Fournier, along with a human chain of firefighters, rushed into the inferno. They weren't trying to save gold or paintings. They were trying to save a simple circle of woven rushes, encased in a crystal tube.

They were saving the Crown of Thorns.

For roughly 1,600 years, believers have venerated this object as the actual instrument of torture pressed onto the head of Jesus Christ. But in an age of skepticism and science, is it possible that this relic is authentic? Or is it just a medieval fabrication?

When we look at the history, the answer is surprisingly compelling.

If you look at the relic today, it might surprise you. It doesn't look like the prickly wreath we see in paintings.

The relic in Paris is a "rush ring"—a bundle of Juncus balticus rushes folded into a circle, held together by gold wires. It measures about 21 centimeters (8 inches) in diameter.

Where are the thorns?

History tells us that over the centuries, the long, hard thorns (Ziziphus spina-christi) were broken off and given as gifts to emperors, kings, and other churches (which is why many churches across Europe claim to have a "thorn"). The Paris relic is the base—the helmet-like structure that held the thorns in place.

Unlike many medieval relics that appeared out of nowhere in the 12th century, the Crown of Thorns has a paper trail that stretches back much further.

1. The Jerusalem Connection (4th Century) We have written records from pilgrims visiting Jerusalem as early as AD 409 (St. Paulinus of Nola) describing the Crown of Thorns being venerated in the basilica on Mount Zion. In AD 570, the pilgrim Antoninus of Piacenza wrote about seeing the "Crown of Thorns which they placed on the head of our Lord."

2. The Royal Transfer (1239 AD) The Crown remained in Jerusalem until around 1063, when it was moved to Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul) for safety during the Islamic conquests.

In 1238, the Latin Emperor of Constantinople, Baldwin II, was broke. He pawned the Crown to Venetian bankers. King Louis IX of France (St. Louis) paid a fortune—literally half the annual budget of France—to redeem it. He built the stunning Sainte-Chapelle just to house it.

This clear chain of custody—from Jerusalem to Constantinople to Paris—is much stronger than almost any other relic in history.

3. Botanical Evidence While the relic hasn't been carbon-dated (authorities are hesitant to destroy any part of it for testing), botanists have confirmed that the rushes and the specific type of thorns associated with it are Ziziphus spina-christi. This plant is native to the Jerusalem area and the Judean wilderness. It is not native to France or medieval Europe. A French forger would likely have used European hawthorn or bramble.

To be intellectually honest, we must look at the difficulties.

1. The Silent Centuries. While we have records from the 400s, we have a gap between AD 30 (the Crucifixion) and AD 400. We don't know exactly who kept it or where it was hidden during the early years of Roman persecution. Skeptics argue that it could have been created by Helena (Constantine’s mother) in the 4th century to encourage pilgrims, rather than preserved by the Apostles.

2. The Relic Trade. The Middle Ages were notorious for fake relics. There were enough "pieces of the True Cross" to build a ship. Skeptics argue that a king paying a fortune for a relic created a market for forgeries. However, the Crown stands out because it wasn't "discovered" in a field in France; it came directly from the Imperial vaults of the East, where it had been guarded for centuries.

Whether or not this specific bundle of rushes is the exact molecular object that touched the head of Jesus, its survival is a miracle of history. But its true value lies in what it forces us to remember.

In the ancient world, crowns were for glory. Gold, jewels, laurel leaves. Jesus is the only King in history crowned with an instrument of torture. The Crown reminds us that His Kingdom is not of this world. He conquered through suffering, not brute force.

Matthew 27:29 says, "They twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head." This wasn't just painful; it was a specific act of mockery. They were making fun of His claim to be a King. The relic connects us to the psychological abuse Jesus endured for us.

When St. Louis carried the Crown into Paris in 1239, he took off his royal robes and walked barefoot, carrying it in his tunic. He understood that his earthly crown was nothing compared to the Crown of Christ. It puts our own pride in perspective.

The Bible tells us that the soldiers "wove" a crown. The relic in Paris is a woven circle. The Bible tells us it was part of the Roman game of "King." The history of the relic shows it was treated as the ultimate symbol of Kingship by emperors for 1,500 years.

The Crown of Thorns is a physical echo of the greatest truth in the universe: The King of Kings suffered for His people. When we look at that fragile circle of dried plants, we aren't just seeing a museum piece. We are looking at the evidence of a love so deep that it was willing to bleed to save us.

And that truth is authentic, no matter what.