Relics that are claimed to be the Holy Nails with which Christ was crucified are objects of veneration among some Christians. When Helena, mother of Constantine the Great discovered the True Cross in Jerusalem, the legend was told by and repeated by Sozomen and Theodoret that the Holy Nails had been recovered too. Helena left all but a few fragments of the Cross in the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, but returned with the nails to Constantinople. As Theodoret tells it in his ''Ecclesiastical History, chapter xvii, The word relic comes from the Latin reliquiae (remains) and there are many pre-Christian instances of some bone or other part of the corpse, or some intimately associated object, carefully preserved with an air of veneration as a tangible memorial. ... Christ, from the Greek in english known as Χριστός, or Khristós, means anointed, and is equivalent to the Hebrew term Messiah. ... Religious depictions of the crucifixion of Jesus typically show him supported by nails through the palms. ... The term Christian means belonging to Christ and is derived from the Greek noun Χριστός Khristós which means anointed one, which is itself a translation of the Hebrew word Moshiach (Hebrew: משיח, also written Messiah), (and in Arabic it is pronounced Maseeh مسيح). ... Flavia Iulia Helena, also known as Saint Helena and Helena of Constantinople, (AD c. ... According to Christian tradition, the True Cross is the cross upon which Jesus was crucified. ... Salminius Hermias Sozomen (c. ... Theodoret (393 - c. ... The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, called Church of the Resurrection (Anastasis) by Eastern Christians, is a Christian church now within the walled Old City of Jerusalem. ...

"The mother of the emperor, on learning the accomplishment of her desire, gave orders that a portion of the nails should be inserted in the royal helmet, in order that the head of her son might be preserved from the darts of his enemies398. The other portion of the nails she ordered to be formed into the bridle of his horse, not only to ensure the safety of the emperor, but also to fulfil an ancient prophecy; for long before Zechariah, the prophet, had predicted that “There shall be upon the bridles of the horses Holiness unto the Lord Almighty."

One of the nails is said to have come to rest in the Iron Crown of Lombardy. The Iron Crown of Lombardy is both a reliquary and one of the most ancient royal insignia of Europe. ...

The Catholic Encyclopedia remarked that "Very little reliance can be placed upon the authenticity of the thirty or more holy nails which are still venerated, or which have been venerated until recent times, in such treasuries as that of Santa Croce in Rome, or those of Venice, Aachen, the Escurial, Nuremberg, Prague, etc. Possibly some had begun by professing to be facsimiles which had touched or contained filings from some other nail whose claim was more ancient. It is concievable that imitations in this way may have come in a very brief space of time to be reputed originals. The bridle of Constantine, for instance, is believed to be identical with a relic of this form which for several centuries has been preserved at Carpentras, but there is another claimant of the same kind at Milan. Similarly the diadem of Constantine is asserted to be at Monza, and it has long been known as "the iron crown of Lombardy." Simple fraud is also a possibility. For the basilica in Florence, see Basilica di Santa Croce di Firenze Santa Croce is one of the six sestieri of Venice. ... Location within Italy The Roman Colosseum Rome (Italian and Latin: Roma) is the capital city of Italy and of its Latium region. ... Location within Italy Venice is known for its waterways and gondolas Venice (Italian Venezia), the city of canals, is the capital of the region of Veneto, population 271,663 (census estimate 2004-01-01). ... Map of Germany showing Aachen Aachen is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, on the border with Belgium and the Netherlands, 65 km to the west of Cologne, and the westernmost city in Germany, at 50°46 N, 6°6 E. Population: 256,605 (2003). ... Escurial is a village in Cáceres, Extremadura, Spain. ... Nuremberg coat of arms Location of Nuremberg Nuremberg (German: Nürnberg) is a city in the German state of Bavaria, in the administrative region of Middle Franconia. ... Prague (Praha in Czech) is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. ... Legend holds that after Constantine was proclaimed Caesar then Emperor, he ordered that all honor be paid to his mother, Flavia Iulia Helena to make up for the neglect paid her by her former husband, Constantius Chlorus. ... Carpentras is a commune in the département of Vaucluse in the south of France. ... Location within Italy Piazza della Scala Milan (Italian: Milano; Milanese dialect: Milán) is the main city in northern Italy, and is located in the plains of Lombardy, the most populated and developed of Italian regions. ... The Lambro River runs through Monza. ...

The question has long been debated whether Christ was crucified with three or four nails, and can hardly be answered with references to medieval treatises or ancient iconic traditions. The details can be followed, however in the Catholic Encyclopedia (see external link below). The belief that three nails were used is called Triclavianism. The Catholic Encyclopedia is an English-language encyclopedia published in 1913 by the Roman Catholic Church, designed to give authoritative information on the entire cycle of Catholic interests, action and doctrine. Starting in 1993, the encyclopedia (now in the public domain) was placed on the Internet through a world-wide... Triclavianism is the belief that three nails were used to crucify Jesus Christ. ...

External links

• Catholic Encyclopedia: Holy Nails: (http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10672a.htm)