This print was pierced by the Holy Lance.

[Touch relic]. Ist durchstochen von der Spitz der Lantzen Christi in der Abteij Brauweiler Odr. S. Benedicti. [Verso:] Verehrung der heiliger Lantz und Befehlung in die Seythen-Wund Jesu. S.l.: s.n., s.a. [likely 18th century]. [13.0 x 5.0 cm], [1] f. engraving, printed on verso with letterpress text. Folding and creasing, minor edge wear and staining, small hole as called for.
 
 
Extraordinary and very rare (unrecorded in this state) devotional print which has been transformed into a contact relic by being literally pierced by the Holy Lance venerated at the Benedictine Abbey of Brauweiler near Cologne.
 
The engraving depicts the crucified Christ surrounded by the Instruments of the Passion (“Arma Christi”). The image of the lance is entering Christ’s side, and where its point touches Him, there is an actual hole in the paper. The text below reads, “It is pierced by the point of the Lance of Christ in the Abbey Brauweiler of the Order of St. Benedict.”
 
This print can thus be considered a (quite unique) example of a ‘touch’ relic (also called a ‘contact’ or ‘secondary’ relic), i.e., an item that contacted or was in the vicinity of a saint’s primary relic (e.g., a body part or personal item) or another holy item (here, the relic Holy Lance).
 
A prayer to the Holy Lance and to Christ’s Holy Side Wound is printed in letterpress on the verso.
 
Peter Schreiner, in his history of Brauweiler Abbey, illustrates a copy of the engraving from his personal collection, but the letterpress text on its verso is in a different setting and orthographically altered (pp. 198-99).
 
Schreiner notes of Brauweiler Abbey that on Friday after Whitsun (Pentecost) “the most important relics were displayed on the high altar and the cross altar. These included a fragment of the nail (or the Holy Lance), a thorn from Christ’s Crown of Thorns, an arm and a finger of St. Nicholas, and an arm of St. Martin. These relics were then carried in a short procession through the cloister. Afterwards, fresh spring water was consecrated in front of the cross altar by immersing the lance reliquary in it (‘Lance Water’). This water was added to the monks’ drink, and it was served to the faithful as a remedy for various ailments. The faithful could later also purchase small images printed on paper, so-called ‘Lance images,’ which had been brought into contact with the relic. The purchase of the image was associated with an indulgence, i.e., the remission of a temporal punishment for sins whose guilt had already been atoned for in the sacrament of penance” (p. 198-99).
 
 
I locate no examples of this print apart from the version illustrated by Schreiner (OCLC, KVK, Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek).
 
Peter Schreiner, Die Geschichte der Abtei Brauweiler bei Köln 1024-1802.