The heart of Saint Laurence / Christ Church Cathedral / Dublin, Ireland / Photo by author

MACABRE | PHOTOGRAPHY | RELIGION | MEDICAL

A Saintly Curse?

Six Word Photo Story Challenge: Freestyle

Who should wear a Saint’s curse?

Dublin, Ireland
Christ Church Cathedral
July 2025

I was intrigued by a sign that read ‘CRYPT GIFT SHOP’ and which pointed down a narrow, old stone, dungeon-like, staircase.

This cathedral just got interesting.

That’s when my partner approached and asked, “Have you seen the heart?”
“What? No.”
“You’ve got to see the heart.”
I followed, leaving mental breadcrumbs so as to return to The Sign.

“A heart?” I asked out loud.
“Yep.”
A picture? A mosaic? A real heart? — all questions I asked, but unsure if they were spoken or merely internal.
“A real heart.” my partner replied. “This way.”
WTF?!

Turns out, back in the day, removing the heart from the body was a sign of respect. An honor. The ‘back-in-the-day’ event being the end of the medieval age in Ireland.