Holy Sponge

[6] An object thought to be the Holy Sponge was venerated in the Holy Land, in the Upper Room of the Constantinian basilica, where Sophronius of Jerusalem spoke of it c. 600 AD: And let me go rejoicing to the splendid sanctuary, the place where the noble Empress Helena found the divine Wood;

Then may I gaze down upon the fresh beauty of the Basilica where choirs of monks sing nightly songs of worship.

A staircase to the left of the choir leads to this chapel, where one can see three pieces of the True Cross, one of its nails, a fragment of the INRI ("Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews") inscription, two thorns from Christ's crown of thorns, a piece of the sponge that was held up to him, one of the silver pieces paid to Judas, St Thomas's finger which touched the wounds of Christ, and the crossbar from the Good Thief's cross.

[dubious – discuss] This sponge remained in Constantinople until it was bought from the Latin emperor Baldwin II by Louis IX of France among the relics he needed for the Sainte-Chapelle in Paris.

Participants in the French Revolution dispersed these relics (including the Crown of Thorns and a bit of the True Cross).