RELIC OF THE CROSS OF SAINT PETER

Very rare bronze reliquary with a glass front, containing a relic of the cross of St. Peter. The relic is fixed on a red silk background (discolored by time) and is identified in Latin on a label as Ex Cruce S. Petri Ap. ( From the Cross of St. Peter the Apostle. ).

The cross depicted in this reliquary is upside down, in reference to the tradition that Saint Peter was crucified upside down . According to the writings of the first Christians, notably those of Origen and Eusebius of Caesarea, Peter, one of the twelve apostles of Jesus and the first pope, was condemned to crucifixion under the emperor Nero around the year 64 in Rome. However, out of humility and respect for Christ, he asked to be crucified upside down , not considering himself worthy of dying in the same way as his master.

This inverted torture therefore symbolizes his humility and sacrifice. The use of an inverted cross in this reliquary underlines this particularity and reinforces the authenticity of the relic from this cross. Even today, the inverted cross is a symbol of Saint Peter , notably visible in papal representations, since the popes are considered his successors.

The red wax seal affixed by the Church not only guarantees the authenticity of the relic, but also that the reliquary has not been opened and that the relic has not been handled since it was closed. It thus ensures its intact preservation, providing complete certainty as to its provenance and integrity.

PERIOD : end of 18th century
DIMENSIONS : 5cm X 3.8cm
SIZE : 2" X 15"

Relics of the Cross of Saint Peter are much rarer than those of the True Cross of Christ , mainly because they have never been the subject of an official discovery or organized dissemination. Unlike the Cross of Christ, fragments of which were widely distributed after its identification by Saint Helena in the 4th century, the cross on which Saint Peter was crucified in Rome under Nero did not benefit from such a process of conservation. The Church has always placed greater emphasis on the veneration of the tomb of Saint Peter, located under the basilica that bears his name, rather than on the wood of his torture, which was probably destroyed or reused after his execution. It is therefore extremely rare to find fragments of this cross. Today, fragments claimed to belong to the Cross of Saint Peter are extremely rare and generally preserved in a few rare sanctuaries. They are far fewer in number than those of the True Cross, which are found in many churches throughout the world.