The Oldest Wooden Statue in Europe is a Crucifix in Lucca, Italy. The statue dates from 770-880 A.D. It is 8 foot tall or 2.438 meters tall, which makes it a Rood. In the Middle Ages the statue was a major place of pilgrimage, and it was dubbed the “Holy Face of Lucca.” In fact, Dante mentions The Holy Face of Luca in His masterpiece, “Qui non ha luogo il Volto Santo!:"qui si nuota altrimenti che nel Serchio. Translation: "Here the Volto Santo [HOLY FACE OF LUCCA] has no place! Here you swim otherwise than in the Serchio"— in boiling pitch, rather than in the Serchio, the river of Lucca.” (Inferno, Canto XXI / Canto 21). The Volto Santo was one of the most popular relic sites, possibly rivaling Canterbury in England. Even King William II of England made a vow to the Holy Face of Lucca.
Aesthetically The Holy Face of Lucca is a unique piece. Instead of the traditional corpus (body) of Christ which is nearly naked hanging on the cross, this piece has Jesus fully clothed in robes and wearing a crown. This depiction is likely to denote Christ’s sovereignty, “On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords,” (Revelation 19:16), and “Keep this commandment without stain or reproach until the appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ, which the blessed and only Sovereign One—the King of kings and Lord of lords—will bring about in His own time.” (1 Timothy 6:14-16). That Jesus is robed on the Volto Santo pays homage to His resurrection and his ascension to sitting at the right hand of the Father in heaven, “Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us.” (Romans 8:34). This makes this image an iconography of the events of Crucifixion and Resurrection and Ascension, rather than the Passion alone which is the typical subject of a crucifix. Another striking feature is this crucifix is in a circle with two cherubs reaching out to Christ. The circle in middle eastern tradition has always represented God. The circle is open at the bottom making this look like the Omega symbol, which pays homage to Christ is the Alpha and Omega, “Behold, I am coming soon, and My reward is with Me, to give to each one according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the bright Morning Star.” (Revelation 22:13, 16).
Legend says Nicodemus sculpted the wood rood after Christ’s Crucifixion, but scientists have been unable to verify this and they date the sculpture at the 8th and 9th centuries. Such legends were the stories that made relics like these alluring to pilgrims, but it also was part of the typical sales pitch, like when the Pardoners would sell the baby teeth of the Jesus and Breast Milk of the Virgin. To us Reformed, Spirit Filled and Sola Scripture Christians, relics seem bizarre and barbaric, but we have to understand Catholicism has always been very tactile, visual, and physical in its spirituality. This is why statues play a more major role in the Romanite Church.
It is refreshing as statues are toppled in North America, that there is news in Europe of this “Holy Face of Lucca” being the oldest wood statue in Europe. It gave many pilgrims great comfort and piety in the days of yore, and no doubt will now become a major tourist attraction now that it has been authenticated as the oldest. I have often said there is nothing wrong with a crucifix, a depiction of our Lord Jesus, the True God in art form. It is an image representation of the Lord not an idol. While I take issue with Catholic piety that you get 2.5yrs off Purgatory by praying in front of a Crucifix, I have made the case in “Take Back The Crucifix” post I wrote that this form of art depicting our Lord’s suffering and sacrifice for all our sins is not the property of Roman Catholics, but all Christians. Amen.
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