RELIQUARY OF SAINT FRANCIS XAVIER WITH DOCUMENT

Rare bronze reliquary with its original glass front, containing a relic of Saint Francis Xavier, one of the greatest Jesuit missionaries of the 16th century.

The relic, presented in a small diamond-shaped piece of paper or parchment, is affixed to a background of deep carmine-red fabric, traditionally used for Jesuit relics. It is identified by a printed label in Latin: “s. Franc. Xav.” (abbreviation for Sanctus Franciscus Xaverius). Surrounding the relic, a delicate radiating decoration of metallic festoons emphasizes its sacred character and highlights the central element.

The ensemble is perfectly complete, retaining:

• its ecclesiastical seal on the reverse,

• its original silk sealing threads,

• attesting that the reliquary has never been opened since its creation and remains in its canonical condition.

Authentic relics of Saint Francis Xavier are particularly sought after, as the saint is one of the major figures of the evangelization of Asia. His incorrupt body rests in Goa, and the few fragments officially recognized by the Church have been distributed sparingly by Jesuit authorities since the 17th century. Antique reliquaries bearing his name are relatively rare on the market, especially in a homogeneous state of preservation.

The reliquary is accompanied by an authentic document issued by the Vatican on July 19, 1848, certifying the authenticity of the relics contained within.

“PAUL-THÉRÈSE-DAVID d’ASTROS, by the divine mercy and the grace of the Apostolic See,
Archbishop of Toulouse and Narbonne, Assistant at the Pontifical Throne, Roman Count, Primate of the Gauls,

To all and each who shall read these present letters, we make known and attest that, for the greater glory of Almighty God and for the veneration of His Saints, we have recognized as authentic the relics of Saint Francis Xavier, Confessor, deposited in a reliquary of gilded brass, of oval form, fitted with a single crystal, properly closed, and bound with a red silk cord sealed with our seal.

We certify their authenticity by the comparison and integrity of the seals, and we grant permission to preserve them, to give them to others, and to expose them publicly for the veneration of the faithful in any church, oratory, or chapel.

Given at Toulouse, under the sign of our General Vicariate and its seal, as well as the signature of the Secretary General of our Archdiocese,
on the 19th day of the month of July in the year 1848.By order of the Most Illustrious and Most Reverend Archbishop of Toulouse.”

PERIOD : 19th century
DIMENSIONS : 2.8 cm × 2.8 cm
SIZE : 1.1" × 1.1"

Saint Francis Xavier was one of the first companions of Ignatius of Loyola and a co-founder of the Society of Jesus. Sent as a missionary to the East, he tirelessly evangelized India, the Moluccas, and Japan, carrying the Christian faith to the very borders of China. His apostolic fervor, charity, and zeal earned him the title “Apostle of the Indies.”

He died in 1552 on the island of Shangchuan, at the gates of China, his missionary dream left unfulfilled. Recognized as one of the greatest missionaries in history, he was canonized in 1622 and remains today the patron saint of Christian missions.