Crown of Thorns
Archimandrite Nikifor’s Biblical Encyclopedia
(Matt. 27:29)—the crown woven by the soldiers and placed upon the head of Jesus in mockery of His kingship. Many plants have been proposed, including species common near Jerusalem, but the Gospel does not identify the material and certainty is impossible. The crown joins royal parody with real suffering and has become a central Christian image of the Lord’s Passion.