Currents March 2020 Mar 2020 _Currents web | Page 13

Currents
March 2020
Globetrotter
By: Max Edwards
Chartres – An Exaltation of Creative Spirit
A visit to Chartres, its cathedral and town, pro-
vides a privileged view into the Middle Ages. Here,
the stones resound with the echoes of millions of pil-
grims.
What event caused Chartres to emerge as a
place of renown? The gifting, in 876, of a holy relic.
Charles the Bald (grandson of Charlemagne), pro-
vided the Sancta Camisia, a garment allegedly worn
by Mary at Christ’s birth. Regardless of one’s
beliefs, the contributions of medieval Chartres, his-
torically and artistically, are irrefutable. The art and
architecture created here are among the world’s
great treasures.
Early residents of Chartres dwelt among Roman
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