Basilica of St James the Greater

Prag · Czechia · Church

A withered human arm hangs on a chain inside the door. The Madonna seized the thief by the wrist and would not let go until the axe was fetched.

Just inside the entrance of St James's Basilica hangs something most visitors walk past without noticing: a blackened, withered human arm on a chain. The legend dates it to around 1400, when a thief hid in the church to rob it after dark. As he reached for the jewels on the wooden statue of the Virgin, the figure closed its hand around his wrist and held him fast. He pulled and pleaded all night without getting free. In the morning the friars found him fixed to the Madonna, and only when the prior asked the statue aloud whether the arm should be cut off did the grip release. The arm was hung by the door as a reminder of the commandment, and it hangs there still.

FAQ

Where is Basilica of St James the Greater located?

Basilica of St James the Greater is in Prag, Czechia.