Reliquary - Two Pendant Reliquaries Containing The Relics Of Saints—saint Joseph And The Virgin Mary

Late 19th century

Italy – Sacred Art – Christianity

A rare set of two oval pendant reliquaries containing, under glass, several relics of saints, identified by their ancient phylacteries and arranged on red textile backgrounds.

The first, larger of the two, contains four relics presented individually in small diamond-shaped settings, each accompanied by an inscription bearing the saint’s name.

The inscriptions allow us to identify, in particular:

“S. Bened. C.” – Saint Benedict, Confessor

“S. Pacifici C.” – Saint Pacificus, confessor

“B. Ioan. de Alver…” – Blessed John, identification to be determined

“B. Caroli a Setia C.” – Blessed Charles of Sezze, confessor

The presence of this last relic is particularly significant for dating the reliquary. Charles of Sezze (1613–1670), an Italian Franciscan friar, was beatified in 1882. His identification on the phylactery under the designation “B.,” an abbreviation for Beatus – Blessed –, indicates that the assembly must have taken place after his beatification and before his canonization, allowing us to plausibly date its creation to the late 19th century.

The second reliquary contains, on the same red textile background, a relic accompanied by the inscription:

“S. Joseph. Sp.”

This inscription refers to Saint Joseph, husband of the Virgin Mary. The relic is displayed in the center of a small diamond-shaped cartouche and surrounded by gilded metal ornaments forming a radiating design.

Both reliquaries are set in oval metal frames and fitted with loops for hanging or wearing. The relics, protected by glass, are arranged according to the traditional customs of small reliquaries intended for private Catholic devotion.

Particularly noteworthy are the backs, which retain their original closure mechanisms, complete with sealing threads and ecclesiastical seals made of red wax. The purpose of these seals was to guarantee the integrity of the reliquary and the authenticity of its contents: any attempt to open it would inevitably result in the breaking of the thread or the seal.

The preservation of these elements—which are naturally fragile and often missing from this type of object—is of significant interest. They still bear witness today to the officially sealed nature of these reliquaries and are an integral part of their material and religious history.

As intimate objects of piety, these small reliquaries could be worn as pendants, kept in a home oratory, or hung next to a devotional image. Given their small size and the presence of several identified relics, they attest to the spread of the cult of the saints and the importance accorded to relics in 19th-century Catholic devotional practices.

This collection is particularly interesting due to the variety of relics it contains, the presence of their ancient inscriptions, the possibility of dating it based on the relic of Blessed Charles of Sezze, and, above all, the preservation of the ecclesiastical cords and wax seals on the reverse side.

Condition: antique condition; wear and tear consistent with the age of the objects. Glass, sealing cords, and wax seals preserved (cords broken). The seals exhibit the fragility and wear inherent to their age.

Dimensions:

4 cm and 4.5 cm

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