Arms against Demons and Death: Text and Image in a Catalan Amulet of the Mid-Fifteenth Century

Abstract

This article presents new evidence concerning the interrelation of apotropaic texts and images of Christ as the Man of Sorrows with the arma Christi in handwritten and printed textual amulets of the fifteenth century. Also known as the Instruments of the Passion or the Weapons of Christ, the arma Christi served as reminders of Christ’s suffering and triumph over death. A Catalan textual amulet of the mid-fifteenth century offers insight into the magical uses of Passion imagery and mythology (Princeton University Library, Princeton MS. 235). This article comprises a contextualizing introduction to the amulet and its text, followed by a transcription and translation.