RELIC OF SAINT MARGARET MARIE ALACOQUE

This oval silver reliquary is dedicated to Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque, a 17th-century mystic known for spreading the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. On the front, the relic is carefully mounted at the center of a bright pink silk background, adorned with a small frame of gilded paper. A handwritten label in black ink bears the abbreviated inscription: “S.te M. M. Alacoque”, clearly identifying the saint.

The edge of the medallion is finely engraved with regular grooves, giving the piece a discreet elegance. The back of the reliquary features a relief of Saint Margaret Mary in religious habit, surrounded by the inscription “Sainte Marguerite Marie”.

Good condition with original glass.

Unopened.

PERIOD: Early 20th century
DIMENSIONS: 2.5 cm x 1.8 cm
SIZE: 1" x 0.4"

Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque (1647–1690) was a French nun of the Order of the Visitation. Born in Verosvres, she entered the monastery of Paray-le-Monial after a youth marked by illness and prayer. Between 1673 and 1675, she received several visions of Christ, who revealed to her his Heart burning with love for humanity and asked her to promote the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Initially misunderstood, she was supported by Jesuit Father Claude La Colombière. Her piety, focused on reparation for sins against God, inspired the establishment of the Feast of the Sacred Heart. She died in the odor of sanctity and was canonized in 1920. Her spiritual mission profoundly shaped modern Catholic spirituality.