Baroque Silver Reliquary Of Saint Pius V, Pope From 1566 To 1572, In Its Original Case

Relics of Pope Saint Pius V, preserved in a large silver reliquary. Italian work from the 18th century. The reliquary retains its original episcopal sealing wax and threads. Saint Pius V (1504-1572), Dominican friar and reformer, was the pope who excommunicated Elizabeth I of England and presided over the Council of Trent. The relics are presented with great luxury, adorned with gold and silver metallic thread embroidery, sequins, and glass beads. They are of first and second class: the first, in the shape of a lozenge, "Ex Veste," and the second, in the shape of a heart, "Ex Ceneribus" (his liturgical vestments and ashes). The reliquary is kept in its original embossed leather case, decorated with gold leaf and lined with silk. Inside is a handwritten label in Italian: "Busta della reliquia di S. Pio V. che tengo appesa al letto" (Case of the relic of Saint Pius V that I keep near my bed). Its dimensions are generous: 17 × 13 cm (reliquary) and 20 × 16 cm (case).