Conques

Historians argue this belief was less about divine approval and more a convenient excuse to sidestep canonical law.

Take the case of Saint Foy's skull moving from the monastery in Agen to Conques in Languedoc, for example.

An insider monk infiltrated the community for years before smuggling it out under a veil of religious duty, an operation chronicled in the local hagiography.

Such narratives often included miraculous signs, like a sudden thunderclap when the relic was carried away, to reinforce the idea that God had endorsed the transfer.

In reality, they also served as marketing tools, signaling to pilgrims that the new shrine housed an authentic object.

Pilgrimage towns like Conques or Santiago de Compostela depended heavily on the flow of footfall.

A saint's remains could bring in thousands of visitors, and with them significant revenue from lodging, alms, and merchandise.

Thus, the economic calculus often tipped the scales towards theft.