One of the less known Christian relics is the Holy Cradle, the trough where Christ was laid down after birth. It is said that a few pilgrims, coming back to Rome from Jerusalem, brought some parts of the Holy Cradle ("cunabulum"). The relics were put into a golden case that can be seen under the main altar. For this reason, the church of Santa Maria Maggiore is also known as "Basilica Praesepem", from the latin word for trough.