Sandals of Christ, Religious relic in Prüm, Germany

The Sandals of Christ are the remains of an ornate fabric slipper, mounted as three irregular brownish fragments with faded tan scrolling vine motifs on a dark purple backing, with two small paper labels and a crumpled gold ornament above the central piece. They are kept in the Sankt-Salvator-Basilika in Prüm, in a reliquary made in 1896 on the north side of the choir, opened on feast days.

Pope Stephen II gave these sandals to Pepin the Short around 754, and Pepin later donated them to the abbey to establish its religious authority. This gift made Prüm a major center for Christian devotion in the region.

Medieval pilgrims viewed these remains as a direct link to Jesus and traveled to the abbey seeking spiritual connection. The relics shaped how the local community understood their faith and their place in the Christian world.

Access to the relics is arranged for visitors, with hours that fit the abbey's needs and schedule. It's wise to contact ahead to confirm that a viewing will be possible during your visit.

The relic became the object of fierce competition between monastic communities, and Prüm eventually came under the control of church authorities based in Trier. This struggle reveals how valuable such objects were to the power structure of the Church.