2. Votives, Images, Interaction and Pilgrimage to the Tomb and Shrine of St. Thomas Becket, Canterbury Cathedral

Abstract

Votives, by their very nature were interactive. The devotee first made a vow to a divinity, promising them a votive either in response to a boon granted or the wish for a boon to be granted. Then they chose a particularly meaningful votive relating, in their minds, to the devotional agreement they made with the saint. From there, they traveled to the place where the divinity was represented by relics or sacred images. Finally the devotee placed their votive near the shrine, physically proclaiming the saint's powers. The sites at Canterbury associated with St. Thomas, including his tomb and shrine attracted countless votive gifts through centuries of active worship until the cult's destruction. This chapter examines how votives were thought of, used, and displayed at Canterbury Cathedral's tomb and shrine of St. Thomas Becket, allowing a glimpse into how individual devotional interaction created and transformed the pilgrimage experience. Keywords:Canterbury Cathedral; devotional interaction; pilgrimage; sacred images; shrine of St. Thomas Becket; tomb; votives

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