Collection of relics and reliquaries
Scope and Contents
This collection is made up of reliquaries containing relics of a variety of saints. These include first-class relics, second-class relics, and third-class relics. The reliquaries are made of a variety of metals, wood, and fabric, and many are ornate in design. Many of the reliquaries are decorated with fabric, jewels, and paper ornamentation. Most of the relics have been sealed into the reliquary with a wax seal, denoting the priest that authenticated the relic. This collection also includes documentation for many of the relics. These documents authenticate the relics as being genuine, identify the saints, give physical descriptions of the reliquaries to assist in identification, and forbid the sale of the relics. This collection includes documentation that does not match any of the relics in the collection. Some of the relics in this collection do not have accompanying documentation, or insufficient description was given to provide certain correlation between the documents and the relics.
The reliquaries have been authenticated and matched to their documentation by Professor Joseph Jacobs in the Religious Studies Department at the University of Dayton.
Dates
- 1795-2011
Creator
- Hary, Nicoletta Mattioli (Collector, Person)
- Marian Library (Collector, Organization)
- Congregation of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (Springfield, Ill.) (Collector, Organization)
Language of Materials
Documents in this collection are in Latin and English.
Restrictions on Access
Open for research. Handling of items is limited due to their fragile and valuable nature. Reliquaries and documentation may not be removed from the reading room.
Copyright Notice
The materials in this collection may be protected by copyright law (Title 17, U.S. Code). The materials are available for personal, educational, and scholarly use. It is the responsibility of the researcher to locate and obtain permission from the copyright owner or his or her heirs for any other use, such as reproduction and publication.
History of Relics
In common terminology, there are three kinds of relics of saints. First-class relics are the physical remains of a saint, usually bone. Second-class relics are items worn or used by a saint, such as clothing or books. Third-class relics are items which have been applied to a higher-class relic, such as a piece of cloth pressed against the bones of a saint. "Reliquary" is the term used for the container that houses the relics, usually an ornate metal case with a glass window. When a relic is enclosed in a reliquary, an accompanying document is signed and sealed by a priest authenticating the relic.
Extent
15 Linear Feet (11 boxes of relics, 1 box of papers; additional relics are on display in the US Catholic reading room)
Abstract:
Collection of reliquaries and relics of various Catholic saints, and the accompanying documentation.
Statement of Arrangement
The arrangement of the documentation reflects the location of the corresponding reliquaries. Documentation that did not correspond to any reliquaries in the collection is arranged chronologically.
Location:
U.S. Catholic Special Collections, 302 Roesch Library
Acquisition Information
Collected for the U.S. Catholic Special Collection from various sources, including a large donation from the Congregation of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart in Springfield, Illinois.
Digital Collection
Photographs of items in this collection can be viewed at http://ecommons.udayton.edu/uscc_relics/.
Processing Information
Processed by Colleen Mahoney, March 15, 2011.
Additional relics in Boxes 13-16 added to the collection by Stephanie Soule, February 4, 2015.
- Agatha, Saint, -approximately 250
- Agnes, of Montepulciano, Saint, approximately 1268-1317
- Alacoque, Marguerite Marie, Saint, 1647-1690
- Albertus, Magnus, Saint, 1193?-1280
- Anacletus, Pope
- Anne, (Mother of the Virgin Mary), Saint
- Anthony, of Egypt, Saint, approximately 250-355 or 356
- Anthony, of Padua, Saint, 1195-1231
- Antoninus, Saint, Archbishop of Florence, 1389-1459
- Augustine, Saint, Archbishop of Canterbury, -604?
- Augustine, Saint, Bishop of Hippo, 354-430
- Bailon, Pascual, Saint, 1540-1592
- Berchmans, John, Saint, 1599-1621
- Bernard, of Clairvaux, Saint, 1090 or 1091-1153
- Bertran, Luis, Saint, 1526-1581
- Bessette, Andre, Saint, 1845-1937
- Cabrini, Frances Xavier, Saint, 1850-1917
- Camillus, de Lellis, Saint, 1550-1614
- Caterina de' Ricci, Saint, 1522-1590
- Catherine, of Alexandria, Saint
- Catherine, of Siena, Saint, 1347-1380
- Cecilia, Saint
- Christian martyrs Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Christian saints Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Christian women martyrs Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Christian women saints Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Clare, of Assisi, Saint
- Claret y Clara, Antonio Maria, Saint, 1807-1870
- Columba, Saint, 521-597
- De Sanctis, Michael
- Dominic, Saint, 1170-1221
- Dorothy, Saint, -311
- Edmund, of Abingdon, Saint, Archbishop of Canterbury, approximately 1170-1240
- Elizabeth, of Hungary, Saint, 1207-1231
- F. de Chantal (Frances de Chantal), 1875-
- Felicity, Saint, -203
- Florentina, Saint, -633
- Francis, de Sales, Saint, 1567-1622
- Francis, of Assisi, Saint, 1182-1226
- Frigidian, Saint, -588
- Gerard, of Csanad, Saint, approximately 980-1046
- Giulia, Saint, active 5th century
- Goretti, Maria, Saint, 1890-1902
- Hyacinth, Saint, approximately 1185-1257
- Ignatius, of Loyola, Saint, 1491-1556
- Isabel, Queen, consort of Dinis, King of Portugal, 1271-1336
- James, the Greater, Saint
- Jesus Christ -- Nativity Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- John of the Cross, Saint, 1542-1591
- John, the Apostle, Saint
- John, the Baptist, Saint
- Joseph, Saint
- Jude, Saint
- Labouré, Catherine, Saint, 1806-1876
- Lambertini, Imelda, 1322-1333
- Laurence, Saint, of Rome, -258
- Liguori, Alfonso Maria de', Saint, 1696-1787
- Louise de Marillac, Saint, 1591-1660
- Mark, Saint
- Martín, de Porres, Saint, 1579-1639
- Mary, Blessed Virgin, Saint
- Massacre of the Holy Innocents Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Neri, Filippo, Saint, 1515-1595
- Nicholas, Saint, Bishop of Myra
- Paschal, I, Pope, -824
- Patrick, Saint, 373?-463?
- Paul, the Apostle, Saint
- Peter Martyr, Saint, approximately 1205-1252
- Peter, the Apostle, Saint
- Philomena
- Pius, V, Pope, 1504-1572
- Pius, X, Pope, 1835-1914
- Raymond, of Peñafort, Saint, 1175?-1275
- Relics Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Reliquaries Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Reliquary crosses Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Rita, of Cascia, Saint, 1381?-1457
- Rochus, Saint, approximately 1350-approximately 1380
- Rose, of Lima, Saint, 1586-1617
- Rose, of Viterbo, Saint, approximately 1234-approximately 1252
- Scourging of Christ, Devotion to Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Seton, Elizabeth Ann, Saint, 1774-1821
- Simon Stock, Saint, 1165?-1265
- Simon, Apostle, Saint
- Stephen, Saint, -approximately 36
- Tekakwitha, Kateri, Saint, 1656-1680
- Teresa, of Avila, Saint, 1515-1582
- Thérèse, de Lisieux, Saint, 1873-1897
- Thomas, Apostle, Saint, active 1st century
- Thomas, Aquinas, Saint, 1225?-1274
- Veronica Giuliani, Saint, 1660-1727
- Vianney, Jean-Baptiste-Marie, Saint, 1786-1859
- Vincent Ferrer, Saint, approximately 1350-1419
- Vincent de Paul, Saint, 1581-1660
- Title
- Guide to the Collection of relics and reliquaries, 1795-2011
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Colleen Mahoney
- Date
- 2011
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
- Language of description note
- English
- Edition statement
- 2nd edition
Repository Details
Part of the University Libraries Repository
300 College Park Dr.
Dayton Ohio 45469-1360