RELIQUARY, RELICS OF THE APOSTLES MATTHEW AND SIMON

Rare oval bronze reliquary with its original glass front, containing two eminent relics of the holy Apostles Matthew and Simon. The sacred fragments, carefully laid on a background of antique red fabric, are presented in a traditional cross-lattice mounting, enhanced by a gilt relief decoration. Each relic is clearly identified by a handwritten Latin label:
“S. Matthaeo Ap.” (Sanctus Matthaeus Apostolus) and “S. Simone Ap.” (Sanctus Simon Apostolus).

Of paramount importance for authenticity: the wax seal as well as the silk sealing threads are perfectly intact, providing formal proof that the reliquary has never been opened since its creation. This detail guarantees that the relics remain in their original ecclesiastical state.

Relics of apostles, very rarely available on the early antiquities market, traditionally belonged to religious houses, private chapels, or missions. Their veneration dates back to the very first centuries of Christianity, and their presence together in a single reliquary evokes the unity of the apostolic college.

PERIOD : 18th century
DIMENSIONS : 4 cm × 3.5 cm
SIZE : 1.6" × 1.4"

Saint Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist, a former tax collector who became a disciple of Christ, is the author of the first Gospel. He proclaimed the faith in the East and, according to tradition, died a martyr. His symbol is the winged man, recalling his Gospel centered on the Incarnation.

Saint Simon the Zealot, one of the Twelve, preached at the far reaches of the ancient East, as far as the regions of Persia. He is often depicted with Saint Jude, with whom he is said to have suffered martyrdom. His fervor and constancy in mission make him one of the most venerated figures of the apostolic college.

This elegant reliquary, uniting two holy apostles and preserved in a perfectly sealed condition, constitutes a rare devotional object of great historical and spiritual value.