Sacred Sites Research Paper

These sacred sites celebrate either the birth, life, or martyrdom of Saints or holy people. For example, Santiago de Compostela became a pilgrimage place after the apparent discovery of Apostle James remains. There isn’t any real evidence to support this claim, but many began to believe it to be true. The success in battles with reports of images of Santiago, led to these claims to gain traction. The importance of these sites are linked to Saints and other holy figures. Whether a Saint’s remains are entombed within the sacred place. Some places claim to have just a bone or a splinter of the Holy Cross. This draws many people, to be in the presences of such a holy relic. It also helps people to believe in legitimacy of the sacred place.

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are many theories to the growth of Marian sites. One theory is that Marian sites became widespread as a way to counter the growth of the more localized cults of Saints, during the twelfth and thirteen centuries. As we have seen differing core focuses leads to splintering of core religious groups. By focusing on one Saint or central devotion it would enable a larger group to survive. These is a small problem when it comes to relics that relate to Marian shrines. It is believed that Mary ascended directly to Heaven. Which meant she left behind no bodily relics. As Marian shrines and tradition became more popular, relics such as locks of hair or pieces of closing began to appear. This was a way to verify her power.