Reply To: Public vs. Private Devotion

[Miranda Jackovich]

It was common during the Gothic period for an individual of any social ranking to carry some sort of religious item. When a person was unable to attend church the object(s) would be used for personal prayer and practices. It’s not surprising to see that elites and nobles used these symbols to reflect their status and wealth. ‘The Sainte Chapelle, Paris’ (1239-1248 CE) demonstrates on a larger scale how status and wealth affects private devotional objects and spaces. The king, his family, and court had a personal chapelle built into the palace. The king and queen also had their own personal quarters to worship in private. It’s important to recognize the influence the church had on all walks of life, and how personal religious objects were widely used amongst everyone.