The thing is: when I started looking into ex-voto, I wasn’t prepared for the vast range of votive objects that exist, sometimes exceeding the confines of religion. The Latin term (literally meaning “from the vow made”) refers to an offering of an object for display without the intention of recovery or use in a sacred place to gain favour with supernatural forces (saints, spirits and deities)…
Objects customarily gifted to Christian churches and shrines by the faithful throughout history come in all shapes and sizes around the world as I would discover. A votive offering can be something as plain as a crucifix, but ex-voto objects as we understand them today can get a lot more creative, ranging from miniature silver sculptures to folk art paintings. They can also take on more obscure forms, from braids of hair to prosthetic limbs – all offered as expressions of faith, thanks for protection and sometimes, for miracles…
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