Is Thanos' Infinity Gauntlet based on St. Teresa of Avila's hand relic?
Marvel's Avengers: Infinity War was a massive hit, grossing over $2 billion in the box office. With such success came the immense popularity of the film's villain: Thanos. Equipped with the Infinity Gauntlet, Thanos set out to collect all six Infinity Stones to destroy half of the universe's life in order to deal with overpopulation. For the five of you who still haven't seen this movie or the many references to it plastered all over the internet, I won't spoil the movie's ending.
Most Catholics probably wouldn't have noticed anything familiar about Thanos' integral weapon, but after the release of the movie in April 2018, some photos of a relic belonging to St. Teresa of Avila (below) emerged with a striking resemblance to that of the Infinity Gauntlet (below).
Those who saw the photo noticed how similar the relic and gauntlet looked. Both are metallic and made for the left hand with colorful gems on each finger, and a spot for one in the middle of the hand.
St. Teresa of Avila died in 1582, but her hand was found to be incorruptible, meaning it didn't wither away with the rest of the body. Such a feat is not entirely uncommon to saints, as St. Anthony of Padua's tongue is incorruptible as well as St. Padre Pio's body, to name a few. Her hand was encased in the glove pictured above and currently resides in the Spanish city of Ronda for pilgrims to revere.
Marvel has not released any statements regarding these similarities, probably due to the fact that most of their fanbase and the current culture are unfamiliar with the relics of St. Teresa of Avila. However, Marvel comics are no strangers to including Catholic elements to their storylines. Catholicism is inseparable from the character arc of heroes such as Daredevil and Nightcrawler. Both of these characters hold their faith close to them throughout their stories, and it influences their decision making. Furthermore, Marvel has published an entire comic book about Pope John Paul II, St. Francis of Assisi, and Mother Teresa (pictured below), all of whom are Catholic saints.
Stan Lee, the man behind the majority of Marvel comic books was not Catholic but based on stories like that of Daredevil and Nightcrawler, he was inspired by many aspects of the Catholic faith. Stan Lee's catchphrase was Excelsior! meaning, upward to greater glory. This motto is similar to that of Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati, who is known for saying Verso l'Alto, meaning, To The Heights. Both mottos point toward the goal of reaching a greater glory, something important to the Christian worldview.
Given Marvel's keenness to Catholic culture and their outward similarities in appearance, it is plausible that the Infinity Gauntlet was based on St. Teresa of Avila's hand relic. With the highly anticipated follow up film titled "Avengers: Endgame" coming out on April 26, 2019, it is possible that more information will be revealed that will support this theory.
Do you think Marvel based the Infinity Gauntlet on St. Teresa of Avila's hand relic?
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