Votive ship

Votive ship in Nexø Church on the island of Bornholm, Denmark

A votive ship, sometimes called a church ship, is a ship model displayed in a church. As a rule, votive ships are constructed and given as gifts to the church by seamen and ship builders.[1] Votive ships are relatively common in churches in the Scandinavian countries Denmark,[2] Sweden, Norway[3] and Finland, as well as on Åland[4] and Faroe islands, but are known also to exist in Germany, the United Kingdom[5] and Spain.[2]

The practice of displaying model ships in churches stems from the Middle Ages and appears to have been known throughout Catholic Europe. The oldest known remaining votive ship is a Spanish ship model from the 15th century. A model ship originally displayed in Stockholm Cathedral but today in the Maritime Museum (Stockholm) dating from circa 1590 is the oldest surviving example in the Nordic countries.[2] Votive ships are quite common in France, in coastal towns (and in some inland ones as well) either as model ships (generally made by sailors after escaping a shipwreck ) or as paintigs (generally depicting some awkward situation) they are known under the Latin term of Ex-Voto (made after a vow). The church of Sainte Anne d'Auray in Brittany has the biggest French collection of marine ex-votos, but the practice even exends to the mediterranean French shores, including Corsica.

References

  1. ↑ "Votivskepp" (in Swedish). Nationalencyklopedin. Retrieved 15 January 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 Nørhøj, Henning (24 May 2011). "Kirkeskibet - symbolet på rejsen fra jorden til himlen". kristendom.dk (in Danish). Kristeligt Dagblad. Retrieved 15 January 2014.
  3. ↑ Lilleholt, Håkon. "Høvåg kirke". Høvåg kirke & bedehus (in Norwegian). Retrieved 15 January 2014.
  4. ↑ "Piratskepp i Kökars kyrka" (in Swedish). Åland Official Travel Guide. Retrieved 15 January 2014.
  5. ↑ White, Ian M (4 April 2007). "Votive Ship". Glasgow Cathedral. Retrieved 15 January 2014.
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