RELIC OF SAINT ANDREW THE APOSTLE

Rare antique eighteenth-century silvered bronze reliquary with its original glass front, containing an authentic relic of Saint Andrew the Apostle.
The relic rests delicately on an antique textile ground, enhanced with a decoration of silver threads, creating a presentation that is both reverent and harmonious, characteristic of devotional reliquaries of this period.

It is identified by a handwritten Latin label bearing the inscription:
“S. Andrea. Apost.”, an abbreviation of Sanctus Andreas Apostolus, clearly confirming the attribution of the relic.

The reliquary is in good condition, retaining its original glass, ecclesiastical seal, and sealing threads, attesting that it has never been opened since its consecration.

Rarity

Antique reliquaries containing relics of the Apostles are among the rarest. Due to the great antiquity of their cult, apostolic relics were venerated, moved, and distributed from the earliest centuries of Christianity, before gradually being concentrated in a few major pilgrimage centers.
Regarding Saint Andrew, tradition holds that his relics were preserved early in the East before being partially transferred to Rome and Constantinople. Today, most known fragments are preserved in major basilicas and important sanctuaries, making authentic relics extremely rare on the market, especially when housed in ancient reliquaries that remain sealed and intact.

PERIOD : 18th century
DIMENSIONS : 4 cm X 2.8 cm
SIZE : 1.6" X 1.1"

Saint Andrew , brother of Saint Peter, was one of the twelve apostles of Christ and is traditionally considered the first-called. Originally from Bethsaida, he was a fisherman on the Sea of Galilee before following Jesus. In the Gospel according to John, it is he who brings his brother Peter to meet the Messiah. After Pentecost, according to tradition, he evangelized several regions around the Black Sea, notably Scythia and Greece. He died a martyr in Patras, crucified on an X-shaped cross, now called the Cross of Saint Andrew. Highly venerated in both East and West, he is the patron saint of Scotland, Russia, and several European cities. His memory is celebrated on November 30 in the liturgical calendar.