RELIQUARY OF SAINT EMYGDlUS, BISHOP & MARTYR

Rare 18th-century reliquary in silver with a glass front containing a relic of Saint Emygdius.

This circular reliquary features a mount in old silver; the perimeter is adorned with a crown of pleated metallic cannetille forming a peripheral ruff, typical of certain Baroque convent reliquaries from the second half of the eighteenth century.

The glass front protects an interior composition arranged around a central oval setting. The background consists of a light beige textile, sober and luminous, highlighting the relic presented in the upper section in the form of a small irregular dark fragment.

The relic is set within :

— a radiant oval of silver metallic threads arranged in serrated fashion,
— a framing of symmetrical gilt scrollwork occupying the four quarters of the reliquary,
— a structured mounting with dominant gold and silver tones, characteristic of mixed eighteenth-century compositions.

It is identified by a handwritten label :

“S. Emygd. E. M.”
→ Sanctus Emygdius Episcopus et Martyr

Translation : Saint Emygdius, Bishop and Martyr

This is a relic of Saint Emygdius (Emygdius of Ascoli), a 3rd-century bishop who was martyred during the Roman persecutions. He is especially venerated in central Italy and is recognized as a protector against earthquakes, a patron invoked in times of natural disaster.

Good condition with original glass.
Unopened.
Ecclesiastical seal and silk threads present.

PERIOD : 18th century
DIMENSION : 4 cm × 3 cm
SIZE : 1.6" × 1.2"

The presence of a relic of Saint Emygdius places this reliquary within a devotional tradition that is both regional and apotropaic. From the Middle Ages onward, and even more so in the modern period, his cult developed in the seismic regions of Italy, where he was invoked as a protective intercessor for cities and populations. The dissemination of his relics often accompanied contexts of reconstruction, protection, or the consecration of religious buildings exposed to natural disasters.

Historically, the relics of ancient martyr-bishops occupy a particular position : they connect the early apostolic hierarchy with the testimony of shed blood. In the case of Saint Emygdius, this dimension is further enriched by a specific protective role, making his relics not only objects of veneration but also sacred talismans against the destructive forces of nature.

The relic presented here, a fragment preserved in its original eighteenth-century setting, belongs to this tradition of spiritual protection. It bears witness both to the ancient cult rendered to the saint and to the controlled circulation of his relics beyond his original sanctuary.