RELIC OF SAINT MARY MAGDALENE

Rare round brass reliquary with glass front, containing a precious relic of Saint Mary Magdalene, one of the most venerated saints of the Christian tradition.
The relic, carefully laid on a background of antique pink fabric, is identified by a typographed label in Latin: “S. Ma. Magdal.”, a traditional abbreviation for Sancta Maria Magdalena.
Beneath the sacred fragment, a delicate ornament of gilt paper, finely cut in the form of a radiant shell, emphasizes the extraordinary dignity of the saint, witness to the Resurrection and first messenger of the Risen Christ according to the Gospel.

The ensemble has remained in its perfect original condition, with its antique glass, its ecclesiastical seal, and its silk sealing threads still perfectly intact, attesting that the reliquary has never been opened since its creation.

Authenticated relics of Saint Mary Magdalene are particularly sought after and appear only very rarely on international markets, most often originating from former conventual, institutional, or private collections, owing to the essential place she holds in Christianity: a faithful disciple, present at the foot of the Cross, she was the first to see Christ alive on Easter morning and received from Him the mission to announce the Resurrection to the Apostles. Her cult, very ancient, was among the most important of the Middle Ages, particularly in Provence where tradition places the end of her life.

PERIOD : 19th century
DIMENSION : 3.2 × 3.2 cm
SIZE : 1.25" × 1.25"

Saint Mary Magdalene, a figure of conversion, fervent love, and absolute fidelity to Christ, remains one of the saints most deeply linked to the Paschal mystery. Her example of hope and inner transformation has continued to inspire for nearly two millennia.