RELIQUARY, SAINT BARTHOLOMEW AND IGNATIUS OF LOYOLA

Rare large silver reliquary with a glass front containing the first class Ex Ossibus relics of Saint Bartholomew and Saint Ignatius of Loyola . The relics are carefully arranged in the center of a richly decorated decoration, surrounded by a radiant pattern in gold leaf, evoking a sacred halo or divine radiance. A red cloth background provides contrast and highlights the relic, this color, omnipresent in the Christian liturgy, symbolizes the blood of Christ and his redemptive sacrifice. They are identified in Latin on two handwritten labels as:

Ex Oss. S. Bartholi C: From the bones of the body of Saint Barthélemy.

Ex Oss. S. Ignatii Loiola : From the bones of Saint Ignatius of Loyola

The red wax seal affixed by the Church not only guarantees the authenticity of the relics, but also that the reliquary has not been opened and that the relics have not been handled since it was closed. It thus ensures their intact preservation, offering complete certainty as to their provenance and integrity.

Please note: a small element of the decor is detached.

PERIOD : 18th century
DIMENSIONS : 6.5 cm X 5 cm
SIZE : 2.5" X 2"

Saint Bartholomew was one of the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ, mentioned in the Gospels under the name of Nathanael. He is said to have evangelized several regions, including Armenia, India and Mesopotamia. According to tradition, he suffered a particularly cruel martyrdom: flayed alive before being decapitated. His cult spread widely, and his relics are partly preserved in Rome, in the church of Saint-Barthélemy-en-l'Île. He is often depicted holding his own skin or a knife, symbols of his torture. He is the patron saint of butchers, bookbinders and tanners. His feast day is celebrated on August 24 in the Catholic Church.

Saint Ignatius of Loyola (1491–1556) was a Spanish Basque nobleman and former soldier who, after a serious injury in 1521, converted to a life of intense faith. He founded the Society of Jesus ( the Jesuits ) in 1534, a religious order dedicated to education, mission, and church reform. His major work, the Spiritual Exercises , is still used today for meditation and religious formation. He played a key role in the Catholic Counter-Reformation, strengthening discipline and spirituality. Canonized in 1622, he is the patron saint of spiritual retreats and educators. His relics are kept in Rome, in the Church of the Gesù. His feast day is celebrated on July 31 .