Clavi

CLAVI. Jesus Christ without doubt was fastened to the Cross with Nails, and his Hands and Feet were pierced with them: The Text of the Gospel clearly John xx. 26. Luke xxiv. 39. Ps. xxxii. 17.shews the truth of this. The Psalmist had foretold long before, that they should pierce his Hands and Feet. But there are disputes concerning the number of the Nails. The Greeks represent our Saviour always to be fastened to the Cross with four Nails; in which particular Gregory of Tours agrees with them¹, one at each Hand and Foot, and under his Feet a kind of Basis, to prevent his Body’s sinking with its weight, and the Hands from being torn. Gregory of Tours adds, that the Empress Helena had two of them put into the Bit of a Bridle, which her Son Constantine made use of when he rode on Horseback, and that she threw another of them into the Adriatick Sea, to calm the violent agitation of it. Others² tell us, that she put another of these Nails into Constantine’s Helmet.

But others are of Opinion, that our Saviour’s Hands and Feet were pierced with three Nails only, viz. one at each Hand, and one at both his Feet; and the custom of the Latins is rather for this last opinion: For the generality of the old Crucifixes made in the Latin Church, have only three Nails wherewith Christ was nailed to the Cross. Nonnus³ thinks, that our Saviour’s Arms were besides bound fast to the Cross with Chains; and S. Hilary speaks of the Cords wherewith he was tied to it. The Nails, or rather parts of the Nails with which our Lord was pierced are shewn in several Churches. But from hence it cannot be concluded, either that these Relicks are all false and uncertain, or that more than four Nails were used to fasten Jesus Christ to the Cross. Those which are to be seen in the Treasuries of several Churches, are but parts of the Nails which we are speaking of; and some of them perhaps were used, not in piercing our Saviour’s Hands and Feet, but in nailing together the several pieces of the Cross, the Foot-board on which his Feet rested, and the Inscription which Pilate appointed to be placed on the upper end of the Cross: These might all afterwards have been confounded with the Nails which pierced the Hands and Feet of Jesus Christ. The Figure of them may be seen under the Article Thorns.

It has been questioned, whether the weight of our Saviour’s Body fastened to the Cross was sufficiently stayed by the Nails made use of in fixing him to it; and it has been the opinion of some, that to supply what was wanting in this particular, and prevent its being dragg’d down by its own weight, as also his Hands from taring asunder, there was a necessity to put a kind of Basis or Prop under his Feet; and besides this, a piece of Wood between his Thighs, or a seat to uphold him⁴. But Bartholin has very well observed, that not a living person only might be held while he is hanging upon the Cross by two Nails grove through his two Hands, but a dead Man likewise; that indeed they did sometimes place something under the Feet, or in the middle of the crucified Bodies, that so Malefactors might continue long after death upon the Cross, even when their Bodies were so rotten and putrified, that they could not be stayed nor continue fastened by Nails only. The Reader may likewise see Nicholas Fontaine’s Letter on the same subject, wherein he produces some examples of Persons who remained hanging by the Hands, or by even one Hand alone, or by the Skin of the Side.

Read this article in its place on the printed pages