Wonderful Blood

In Wonderful Blood, Caroline Walker Bynum examines the central role of Christ's blood in late medieval art, devotion, and theological discourse, particularly in pilgrimage sites like Wilsnack.

In Wonderful Blood, Caroline Walker Bynum explores the profound significance of Christ's blood as both an object of veneration and a powerful symbol in late medieval culture. She delves into how this theme permeated art, literature, and religious practices of the time, highlighting its role in theological debates surrounding matter, body, and divinity. The book examines the implications of this focus on blood, including its connection to the persecution of Jewish communities, illustrating the complex interplay between faith, devotion, and societal tensions.

Bynum takes readers to the quiet town of Wilsnack in northeastern Germany, a site of pilgrimage that held immense importance during the fifteenth century, second only to Rome and Santiago de Compostela. The miraculous discovery of three hosts in the charred remains of a church after it was set ablaze by a knight in 1383 catalyzed this pilgrimage. Bynum investigates the significance of these hosts, which were found intact with drops of Christ's blood, and how they became central to the faith of countless pilgrims.

Through her analysis in Wonderful Blood, Bynum reveals how the themes of sacrifice and redemption expressed through Christ's blood resonated deeply within the devotional practices of the time. She explores the artistic representations, prayers, and poems that emerged, emphasizing how blood became a vital motif in the spiritual lives of both mystics and ordinary believers, shaping their understanding of suffering, salvation, and the divine presence in their lives.