Bringing the Holy Land Home: The Crusades, Chertsey Abbey, and the Reconstruction of a Medieval Masterpiece

Why was this made, and how was it used?

A Miter is a religious vestment that is made for a bishop or high clergy person of the church. The textile is typically worn for momentous occasions in the church granted for a large audience. The Miter for the Abbey Church was designed for the intent of an Abbey or Bishop during the 13th century that resided in the Salzburg church of the Benedictine Monastery.This church was founded in 696 and continues to be one of the oldest German speaking monasteries to date. The religious site is known for its educational aspect of abbots, emphasizing the importance of religion and spiritual life throughout Austria and going along with German culture.



This Miter was used for important religious events in Salzburg and the greater country of Austria. The Benedictine Monastery of St. Peter does not have a list of abbots that were alive during this time. However, one archbishop that could have worn this miter was Rodolfo de Hoheneck, an archbishop of Salzburg. Due to the fact that this monastery did not have bishops, Rodolfo de Hoheneck would have to have been a visiting archbishop, yet the period matches that he could have come and worn this vestment. This miter then would be worn, along with the chasuble and crozier, and put on in one of the vestment rooms of the church. The abbot wearing these pieces would walk along the church's interior for a celebratory mass of importance or gathering information amongst a crowd of people. Considering the fact that this Miter was made in the 13th century, a period where the Crusades were a constant battle, this miter could be inferred to be worn during religious events that perpetuated Christianity and could have suppressed contradicting religions such as Islam.

This page has paths:

This page references: