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Basil is important biblical herb, with several ties to important religious figures. Before basil was linked to any particular biblical figure, it already had a regal reputation. Basil is derived from the Greek word for king (Stewart). Besides being important to the ancient biblical world, beliefs also circulated around Basil in the classical world as well. Saint John the Baptist and the site of the crucifixion are the two most common biblically-themed references to Basil. Basil is not only important to Christianity, it is also significant to the Hindu religion.
Basil is important biblical herb, with several ties to important religious figures. Before basil was linked to any particular biblical figure, it already had a regal reputation. Basil is derived from the Greek word for king (Stewart). Besides being important to the ancient biblical world, beliefs also circulated around Basil in the classical world as well. Saint John the Baptist and the site of the crucifixion are the two most common biblically-themed references to Basil. Basil is not only important to Christianity, it is also significant to the Hindu religion.
Salome Bringing the Head of the Baptist to Herodias by Masolino da Panoclino, 1435.
Saint John the Baptist's Head & Basil:
Saint John the Baptist's Head & Basil:
Some versions of the story of Salome, who is in both the Gospel of Mark and the Gospel of Matthew, involve basil. The story goes that Salome was dancing for King Herod, who then promised to give her anything that she wanted. She asked for the head of John the Baptist, because her mother’s marriage was “condemned” by him. (Britannica). King Herod’s commands that John be beheaded and Salome is given John the Baptist’s head on a platter. King Herod had been putting off beheading John the Baptist, but did want to kill him at some point.
That part of the story remains the same. Some alternate endings incorporate other elements, like basil. One version tells that Salome puts John’s head in a pot of basil to mask the smell (Marcus). A more modern interpretation that is based on an Oscar Wilde play called Salome, which becomes a Richard Strauss’s opera, called Salome in 1905. In the opera, Salome kisses the severed head of John the Baptist (Britannica). This adds an erotic element that is also seen in the Decameron when Lisabetta kisses her dead lover’s head in the bathroom before planting it.
Comparing the multiple iterations of Salome to the Decameron, basil and served heads are common plot elements. Boccaccio leans on biblical texts and iterations in his tragic love story, and other artist then lean on both the biblical stories and Boccaccio. Not only is the severed head sexualized, but basil is also sexualized in the Decameron and Italian culture. The similarities between the two literary uses of basil in various texts in the highlight the Christian influence, as well as a chain of influence from the Bible to the Decameron and into more modern works like Oscar Wilde. The relationship between these stories gives greater significance and impact to objects like basil, that are seemingly random but have greater historical and cultural significance.
St. Helen and the Site of the True Cross:
St. Helen and the Site of the True Cross:
Basil also has biblical resonance in regard to the location of the true cross, or the site of the crucifixion. Legend has it that Constantine’s mother, Helen, went to Jerusalem to find the exact spot where Jesus crucified. Once she located the spot, a basil plant was found growing there. Helen, who was later became St. Helen, dug up the basil; and under it, found the location of the cross, and in some stories the tomb. The different versions vary on what she found but basil remains a constant element. The basil grew from “the Precious Blood of Christ and the tears of the Mother of Sorrows” (Stewart). This is another instance besides the Decameron where basil was effectively nourished from tears.
Today, basil still has a religious function. In some churches, particularly Orthodox ones, or those who are aligned with Saint John the Baptist as the their patron, still use basil religiously. During the Exaltation of the Cross, there is a basil blessing ceremony. Basil is also sometimes ceremonially used around the crucifix.
Today, basil is still closely related to Saint John the Baptist. For example, the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Charleston, SC, has a basil blessing ceremony (Stewart). The use of basil as a religious item or for religious purposes is more closely tied to Eastern Orthodox Christianity. Helen and Constantine are both saints in Eastern Orthodox religion, which is of course tied to Helen finding the site of the true cross. Basil has also remained significant as a popular name for boys in Eastern Orthodox countries. In religion, basil remains most important to the orthodox religions who are centered in the Mediterranean region, where basil also retains cultural and culinary significance.
By examining the complex biblical ties and iterations of basil, especially in relation to severed heads, basil gains far greater significance and importance in various artistic and cultural works, especially those relating to the Decameron.
Saint Helena of Constantinople by Cima da Conegliano 1459-1518.
Asian Basil
Asian Basil
In the Hindu tradition, basil is known for its spiritual and healing powers. Two different types of basil are used ritually: Krishna and Rama (Bachman). Basil is used is burial rites and is placed on the corpse during the burial to open the gates of heaven for the deceased (Blachman). More generally, basil symbolizes “love, life, harmony, purity, serenity, good fortune and protection” (Blachman). Like in Mediterranean cultures, basil is also a culinary staple in Asian cultures. Basil’s versatility across religions demonstrates its long history as a significant plant with powerful qualities attributed to it.
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