The next time you walk through the Santa Clara Museum of Gandia, do not pass these figures by. Look closely. They are rare survivors of a pivotal era, quietly telling the story of Gandia’s place at the heart of Renaissance faith and power.
Many visitors pause briefly before a group of striking yet puzzling figures and then move on. Their meaning is not immediately obvious, and their appearance can seem strange to modern eyes. Yet these objects are among the museum’s most significant and least understood treasures.
The figures form a rare set of ten reliquaries from an original group of twelve preserved in the Monastery of Santa Clara. Each is carved from wood, richly polychromed (decorated in several colours), and covered in gold leaf. A small opening in the chest of each figure reveals its true purpose. Inside are the bones of the saint to whom the reliquary belongs. All of the relics bear official seals of authenticity.
According to tradition, these reliquaries were donated by Pope Alexander VI during a period when the Catholic Church actively promoted the veneration of relics in response to Protestant movements that rejected such practices. Their presence in Gandia is deeply connected to the town’s historical relationship with the Borja family.
Pope Alexander VI, born Rodrigo de Borja in nearby Xàtiva, maintained strong ties to the region of Valencia. In 1485, before his papacy, he acquired the Duchy of Gandia for his family, establishing it as the principal seat of Borja power in Spain. His son, Juan de Borja, later became the second Duke of Gandia, cementing the town’s direct link to papal authority in Rome.
Religious patronage was central to Borja influence, and the Monastery of Santa Clara played a vital role in this network. The Poor Clares, founded by Saint Clare of Assisi, embodied enclosure, humility, and strict Catholic orthodoxy. Their sisterhood in Gandia strengthened religious life in the duchy and provided a respected vocation for women of noble families.
Seen in this context, the reliquaries are far more than decorative religious objects. They are powerful symbols of faith, authority, and artistic devotion, and enduring evidence of Gandia’s place within the religious and political currents of Renaissance Europe.
- SpainLifestyle.com
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Resource Books written by
Karla Ingleton Darocas
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SpainLifestyle.com
Resource Books written by
Karla Ingleton Darocas
and published by
SpainLifestyle.com
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