Yes, it's hard for us Yanks to get into the reliquary mode, but such items were all the rage around the turn of the last millennium.

Our later encounters with our kind inspector were in the little town of Spello, actually a few steps off the Franciscan path. Our interest was in churches dedicated to the Madonna, indicating they were in very ancient times probably goddess worship sites. During the years the churches in Spello were built &dedicated, there were around 2000 souls in town, with 100 churches, &over 20 dedicated to Mary.

I too found a visit to the Eremeo very moving: the little twig crosses placed in nooks &grottoes as well as that one rock wall where thousands of tiny crosses are scratched into the rock itself.

Better go back & check it out!

Gail In Eugene.