Saturday, May 02, 2015

Sacred Sculptures on Display at the Vatican (Final Post)

Speaking of beauty and humility in the liturgy, here is a final set of images from the new show at St Peter’s Basilica, a display of reliquaries and other liturgical objects from many different parts of central Italian province of Lazio.

Reliquary of St Rosalia in silver and agate, 17th century, from the cathedral of St Lawrence in Tivoli.
Silver reliquary bust of St Blaise, attributed to Nicola Treglia (died in 1721); from the church of St John the Baptist in Monte San Biagio, in archdiocese of Gaeta.
Reliquary statue of St Dolcissima, Virgin and Martyr in the persecution of Diocletian (303-6), Patron Saint of Sutri; mid-18th century, gilded wood, with head, hands and feet in silver.
Reliquary bust of Pope St Soter (ca. 167-174), silver , first half of the 17th century; from the church of St Peter in Fondi, (famous also as the place where the Great Western Schism began in 1378). 
Pax brede in silver and copper, with gemstones, second half of the 15th century; from the Diocesan Museum of Tarquinia.
Reliquary bust of St Margaret, mid-15th century, possibly Sienese in silver, copper and colored stones; from the cathedral of St Margaret in Montefiascone.
Reliquary bust of St Agapitus, a deacon martyred along with Pope St Sixtus II in 258; silver and copper, second half of the 15th century, with a base of the early 16th, from the church of St Francis in Tarquinia.
Processional Cross, silve, 14th-century; from the church of Santa Maria del Popolo in Cittaducale 
Left: a late 13th century reliquary bust in silver and copper of St Folco (or ‘Fulk’), a pilgrim from England who died while travelling through Italy, venerated as the patron Saint of the city of Santopadre, in silver and copper. Right: reliquary of St Matthew in silver and colored stones, end 13th-century, from the museum of the Duomo of Veroli.
Door for a reliquary, in copper and enamel on wood, made in Limoges, France, first quarter of the 13th century. From the Museum of the Palazzo Venezia in Rome. 

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