so. 22S7. COLLECTION OF ECCLESIASTICAL ART—CASANOWICZ. 621 



relics and are usually made of precious metals and adorned with 

 jewels, in form of a box, casket, or shrine. The veneration of 

 relics dates back to the early centuries of Christianity; in the fourth 

 century it was already widely spread. 



113. Silver reliquary. — Made in form of an ostensory, encompassed 

 by sunbeams. Chased work. Behind the glass is seen a crosslet, 

 supposed to be made from a particle of the true cross. By the "true 

 cross" is meant the actual original cross upon which Jesus was cruci- 

 fied. It is believed by both the Roman Catholic and the Eastern 

 Church that the cross buried upon Golgotha was found in 326 A. D. 

 by the Empress Helena, mother of Constantine the Great, and the 

 church commemorates this event by appointing the 3d of May (in 

 the Eastern Church the 13th of September) as the annual festival of 

 the discovery of the cross {inventi crucis). Height, 8i inches. — Se- 

 ville, Spain. (Cat. No. 166987, U.S.N.M.) 



114. Reliquary. — Consisting of an oval metal frame. Behind the 

 glass in front is a tiny cross set in a gilt frame of scroll design. An 

 inscription reads. Lignum S S. crucis D. N. J. C. (wood of the most 

 holy cross of our Lord Jesus Christ). On the back is the episcopal 

 wax seal, attesting to the genuineness of the relic. Diameters, 1\ 

 by IJ inches.— Probably from Italy. (Cat. No. 256893, U.S.N.M.) 

 Lent by Mrs. S. Brown Goode. 



115. Relic of St. Anne, motJier of Mary. — In an oval case of white 

 metal. On the back is in relief an efhgy of Mary and the petition in 

 French, "O Mary, conceived vv^ithout sin, pray for us who take their 

 refuge to thee." Diameters, 1 inch by | of an inch. — Italy. (Cat. 

 No. 179058, U.S.N.M.) 



116. Relic of St. Peter. — In an oval case of white metal, with the 

 episcopal seal. Diameters, 1\ by l\ inches. — Italy. (Cat. No. 

 179061, U. S. N. M.) 



117. Relics of St. Clement. — Consistmg of two molar teeth in a brass 

 frame. St. Clemient was the third bishop of Rome toward the end of 

 the first century. Diameters, 1| by 1^ inches.— Italy. (Cat. No. 

 179060, U.S.N.M.) 



118. Relics of Christ, Mary, St. Joseph, St. Francis a Paula {I4I6- 

 1507), St. Francis Xavier, 32 {1506-1552), St. Theresa (1515- 

 1582), and St. Aloysius Gonzaga (1568-1591). — In an oval brass case. 

 Diameters, 3 by 2i inches.— Italy. (Cat. No. 179062, U.S.N.M.) 



119. Relic of St. Charles Bejrromeo (1538-1584)- — In an oval case of 

 white metal with the episcopal seal. St. Borromeo was Cardinal and 

 Archbishop of Milan. Diam^cters, 1|^ by 1 inch. — Italy. (Cat. No. 

 179059, U.S.N.M.) 



120. Silver reliquary. — Oval containing relics of Mary, St. Joseph, 

 St. John of the Cross (1542-1591), and St. Theresa, framed by a floral 

 design in filagree work, studded with colored stones. With the epis- 



