TIL that in medieval Europe, the Church’s emphasis on relics led to the practice of furta sacra, or "holy theft," where churches and monasteries would steal each other's relics believed to hold miraculous powers, thus increasing their own prestige and attracting more pilgrims.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Furta_sacra
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1gnng8k/til_that_in_medieval_europe_the_churchs_emphasis/