RELIQUARY, RELIC OF THE TRUE CROSS 1835 WITH DOCUMENT

Rare large reliquary in gilded bronze presenting a refined goldsmith's work, mixing floral motifs and religious symbols. It rests on a richly decorated octagonal foot, supporting a slender stem which blossoms into a set of foliage, ears of wheat and finely chiseled roses. This vegetal decoration frames a central oval medallion which houses the first class relic , a fragment of the True Cross , fixed on a meticulously worked background. The relic is surrounded by silver threads and paperolles, enhanced with small pearls symbolizing purity, it is dominated by a large radiant Latin cross.

The gilding work, the chiseled details and the arrangement of the elements give this reliquary a majestic and solemn appearance, designed for the veneration of this precious relic.

The reliquary is accompanied by an original authentic document issued on April 7, 1835 by Philibert de Bruillard (1765-1860), Bishop of Grenoble in France, Imperial Canon of the First Order of the Imperial Chapter of Saint Denis, Honorary Canon of Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, certifying the authenticity of the relic contained inside:

"To each and every one who shall inspect these letters, we attest and certify that, for the greater glory of Almighty God, the veneration of His saints, and the increase of the piety of the faithful, we have recognized, from authentic documents, a relic of the true wood of the Cross .

We placed it with respect in a reliquary (…), well sealed and wrapped with a colored silk ribbon (…) and marked with our seal.

PERIOD : 1835
DIMENSIONS : 39 cm X 22 cm
SIZE : 12" X 8.7"

The True Cross refers to the material remains of the cross on which Jesus Christ was crucified. Between 326 and 328, Empress Helena, mother of Emperor Constantine, the first Christian emperor of Rome, undertook a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. During her journey, she discovered a site where there were three crosses, supposedly those used for the crucifixion of Jesus and the two brigands, Saint Dismas and Saint Gestas. A miracle allowed the identification of the true cross.

Fragments of this cross were later divided and scattered throughout the world. Most European relics of the True Cross come from Constantinople, from where they were taken after the sack of the city in 1204, during the Fourth Crusade. At that time, bishops and knights brought these fragments, often accompanied by other precious relics, back to their countries of origin. These pieces were then offered to churches and monasteries, where they became objects of veneration.

Learn more about the relics of the true cross