Saint Francis vintage card

 

Español

Holy cards are a style of Catholic devotion that originated during the 15th century. They gained popularity in medieval Europe after the advent of the printing press and after ameliorations in the papermaking process allowed greater production at a lower price. Medieval Europe was overwhelmingly Christian, and prior to the early 16th century, much of the region was Catholic. 

However, literacy rates did not rise to a majority — even in many wealthy countries — until the end of the 18th century. As a result, holy cards became a way for Catholics to embrace their faith, whether they could read or not. Cards have been used for a variety of purposes such as announcing first communions, births and deaths; giving tribute to religious icons; and marking significant dates. 

Most of the cards are colored and include a central figure of a Catholic Saint. Some holy cards have been decorated at their edges with small and symmetrical cuts, providing aesthetic appeal on the card itself. 

Get this restored image now on sale

This image is a public domain image, which means either that copyright has expired in the image or the copyright holder has waived their copyright. Franciscan Gallery charges for the access to high resolution copy of the image. Manually restoration was necessary in order to improve quality, without covering the original image.