ANCIENT ITALIAN RELIQUARY 8 MARTRED SAINTS + TRUE CROSS

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ANCIENT ITALIAN RELIQUARY 8 MARTRED SAINTS + TRUE CROSS

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Sold Date: 02/22/2008
Channel: Online Auction
Source: eBay
Category: Fraternal, Political, Organizations

IN THIS AUCTION we are pleased to offer for your consideration a Rare and Extraordinary Ancient Silver Italian Multi-Reliquary containing 8 Martyred Saints and a Relic of the True Cross. From the old Thick Beveled Glass front to the gently Curved Glass enclosure on the back, this is a stunning and remarkable Reliquary. The heavy Silver Sealed Theca is bulbous, bold and intrinsically beautiful...even the finely tooled fob which sits atop the Theca is striking and valiant.

Time has worked its way on some of the banners and makes them difficult to decipher. However, we have been able to make out the following Saints:

SAINT FLORIAN, MARTYR SAINT VITALIS of MILAN , MARTYR SAINT FELICITY of ROME , MARTYR SAINT ZENOBIUS, MARTYR SAINT CONSTANTIUS, MARTYR

The remaining three banners are beyond our ability to read them.

The back of the Theca - as mentioned above - has a curved glass housing which covers the red Wax Seal. The Seal is intact, albeit showing age. One can make out the image of the Cross embossed in the red Wax. When you hold this Reliquary in your hand and feel its heft and texture, we marvel at its very existence after so many centuries. From our research (which we paraphrase) about a few of the Saints:

SAINT FLORIAN was a Third Century Roman army officer. He is said to have saved a town from burning by throwing a single bucket of water on the blaze - thus his association with firefighters. When he was ordered to execute a group of Christians, he refused and professed his own faith and was martyred. He was scourged, flayed alive, a stone tied to his neck, and then dumped into a river. He is Patron Saint for Austria and Poland , Firefighters and Fire Prevention.

SAINT VITALIS of MILAN was a soldier and convert. He was the husband of Saint Valeria of Milan and father to Saint Gervase and Saint Protase. When Saint Ursicinus of Ravenna wavered in his faith on his way to martyrdom, Vitalis encouraged him to stand firm. This exposed his faith and led to his immediate arrest, torture and martyrdom. He was buried alive in the 1 st or 2 nd Century in Milan , Italy . He is the Patron Saint for Thibodeaux , Louisiana .

T is little in the way of our research to indicate much about the lives of Saint Zenobius and Saint Constantiue, except that they suffered martyrdom for their Christian beliefs. This is a shared fate with the other Saints found in this Reliquary.

And so, as can clearly be seen by some of these stories, this is a rare and special Multi-Reliquary which will grace any collection of Devotional and Religious Artifacts. The Theca measures 2 inches (5 cm) long by 1 ½ inches (3.5 cm) wide by ½ inch (1.5 cm) thick.

This item is allowed as it contains no human remains but objects of devotion - hair, cloth, chalk and stones from the tombs of the saints. Please note that you are bidding on the antique shrine, reliquary, container or theca and that the relic is a gift.

(Please see our Group Photo of other Reliquary we are offering this week and check our other Auctions.)

In case this is the first time you are checking with us, we are Americans currently living and traveling in Italy searching for unique items which are designed and created in Italy to present to you on Ebay. We are shopping for you, we save you the cost of Airfare. We always COMBINE SHIPPING for multiple items whenever possible. Best of luck, we are more than happy to answer any of your questions prior to bidding. We are italycallingyou