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 i...