A closer look
Forget high-minded spiritual journeys; medieval pilgrimage was essentially a massive medieval gift shop. When believers marched to Canterbury, they didn't just pray—they purchased millions of cheap, stamped-lead badges. These trinkets served as literal flexes of piety, proving you had the cash and time to walk across the country. More importantly, this bizarre obsession with holy merch pumped unprecedented amounts of unregulated peasant silver directly into church coffers, effectively financing the towering Gothic cathedrals we admire today through the sheer power of aggressive souvenir marketing.
