History glossary
the Five Wounds of Christ
a Catholic devotional symbol referring to Christ's wounds from the crucifixion.
- Category
- Religious symbol
- Region
- Christian Europe
- Date range
- Medieval-early modern
What it means
The Five Wounds of Christ refer to the wounds in Christ's hands, feet and side from the crucifixion. In Tudor England the symbol was used by Catholic rebels to present their cause as a defence of traditional religion.
