Resumen:
Among the symbols used for representing power in the Middle Ages were the relics of saints and martyrs. When it came to political power, relics were one of the most cherished symbolic instru-ments to achieve legitimation of political power. However, no texts from the Middle Ages can be found that reflect the practice of associating relics with power. Rather, we have to assume or de-rive that reflection indirectly through narratives and stories around the relics present in the cul-ture and religion of the time. This article reflects on the symbolic use of relics from a theological¿political perspective: What kind of power acts through relics? What meaning of power is embod-ied in their political use of them? The thesis that the article will defend is that reflection on the politics of relics leads to a resignification of the idea of power in the Middle Ages, which is closely connected to the idea of charisma originating in the writings of the Apostle Paul.