RELIQUARY OF MARIE MADELEINE AND 6 SAINTS

Rare large reliquary in silvered bronze, whose interior is carefully adorned with gold threads and radiant motifs in gold leaf, typical of the late Baroque aesthetic. The whole rests on a red fabric background, creating a striking contrast and enhancing the presence of the relics. This color, omnipresent in Christian liturgy, symbolizes the blood of Christ and His redemptive sacrifice.

Seven relics are arranged in a circle around a central element, each accompanied by a handwritten Latin label identifying the respective saint. These are fragments of bone — first-class relics — or pieces of sacred cloth — second-class relics — associated with virgins and martyrs from both the early Church and more recent times.

"Ex Oss. S. M. Magdalenae pen."
→ *Ex ossibus Sanctae Mariae Magdalenae paenitentis*
Translation: From the bones of Saint Mary Magdalene, penitent

"Ex Oss. S. Christinae V. & M."
→ *Ex ossibus Sanctae Christinae Virginis et Martyris*
Translation: From the bones of Saint Christina, virgin and martyr

"Ex Tela liquore S. Teresiae V. imbuta."
→ *Ex tela liquore Sanctae Teresiae Virginis imbuta*
Translation: From cloth soaked with the sacred blood of Saint Teresa, virgin

"Ex Oss. S. Exuperantiae V."
→ *Ex ossibus Sanctae Exuperantiae Virginis*
Translation: From the bones of Saint Exuperantia, virgin

"Ex Oss. S. Anastasiae V. & M."
→ *Ex ossibus Sanctae Anastasiae Virginis et Martyris*
Translation: From the bones of Saint Anastasia, virgin and martyr

"Ex Oss. S. Euphrasiae V."
→ *Ex ossibus Sanctae Euphrasiae Virginis*
Translation: From the bones of Saint Euphrasia, virgin

"Ex Oss. S. Agnetis V. & M."
→ *Ex ossibus Sanctae Agnetis Virginis et Martyris*
Translation: From the bones of Saint Agnes, virgin and martyr

Good overall condition with original glass.

Unopened.

Ecclesiastical seal and silk threads present.

PERIOD: 18th century
DIMENSIONS: 7 cm x 5.5 cm
SIZE: 2.8" x 2.2"

This reliquary brings together seven female saints of Christianity, and their selection is clearly not random. Each embodies a model of feminine virtue highly valued in Catholic spirituality, particularly in the context of the Counter-Reformation. Their shared traits include purity, faithfulness to Christ, and spiritual heroism.

Most of them are both virgins and martyrs, such as Saint Agnes, Saint Anastasia, and Saint Christina. These young women, often from the early centuries of the Church, chose torture and death over renouncing their faith or chastity. Their martyrdom is a radical testimony of love for God, and they became icons of courage and sanctity.

Others, such as Saint Euphrasia and Saint Exuperantia, represent the model of consecrated life, marked by asceticism, prayer, and withdrawal from the world. Saint Teresa of Ávila represents the mystical ideal of the union of the soul with God. Her influence within the Carmelite order, her spiritual writings, and her inner discipline make her a major figure of the Catholic Reform.

Finally, Saint Mary Magdalene, though neither virgin nor martyr, holds a unique place. She is the great penitent of the Gospel — one who, after a sinful life, radically turned to the love of Christ. She thus became a model of spiritual transformation, deeply honored in Baroque piety.

Together, these saints form a constellation of virtues: purity, faith, penitence, martyrdom, renunciation, contemplation. Their grouping in a single reliquary suggests a devotion oriented toward the Christian feminine ideal, centered on absolute love of God, fidelity to the Gospel, and self-sacrifice. Such a reliquary could have been intended for a women's religious community, a private oratory, or a devout individual seeking protection, inspiration, and intercession.