Before the invention of the printing press, books were copied by hand one at a time by illuminators, and the vellum was often embellished with beautiful calligraphy and intricate patterns and designs. Explain why the Church committed such expense and the involvement of such creative effort to produce these beautiful works. Discuss the purpose and use of these works, including information as to who would actually see them and read from them. In addition, consider how the reverence of saints and figures of early Christian history became a significant feature of Romanesque art in many forms. What role did reliquaries play in the production of art objects? What controversies arose in relation to venerated images or cult figures memorialized through art?