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 MORE from GERMANY
TWO MAGNIFICENT RELIQUARY CRUCIFIXES
These two rosaries are from our German Collector and are magnificent examples of rosaries that have reliquary crucifixes. These reliquaries are packed full of saints relics. It was traditional for the relics of saints to be contained in various forms and comes from scriptural references.

NUNS RELIQUARY   -  1800 RELIQUARY
INDEX   -   RARE ROSARY BOX   -   ABOUT RELICS

This collection of antique and vintage rosaries and chaplets is from a gentleman in Germany who has generously sent us images of a few of his rosaries.  We learn a great deal as we look over the designs and read his commentary (in quotes) about each one.

~ NUN'S RELIQUARY ROSARY ~

OUR COLLECTOR FROM GERMANY TELLS US THAT THIS ROSARY BELONGED TO

A NUN.  IT IS THE STANDARD 5 DECADE ROSARY AND BEADS ARE ROUND BONE.

THE CENTER IS HEART SHAPED, TYPICAL OF THE PERIOD. AND THE CRUCIFIX IS,

~ 1800 RELIQUARY ROSARY ~

OUR COLLECTOR SAID:  'THIS IS A RELIC ROSARY.

THE COMPLETE ROSARY IS CARVE BONE. THE CROSS IS MADE FROM BRASS

AND BOTH SIDES OF THE OPEN RELIQUARY ARE FILLED WITH RELICS [FRAMED
IN GOLD PASSEMENTERIE].  IT IS HARD

TO ESTIMATE THE AGE BUT I THINK
ABOUT 1800.

~ ROSARY INDEX ~

~  RARE ROSARY BOX ~

OUR COLLECTOR ADDS 'SMALL COFFIN FORMED BOX

FOR A ROSARY - VERY RARE - AGE UNKNOWN'
(origin, size age unknown)

~ RELICS - WHAT ARE THEY? ~

Relics, what are they? There are 3 classes of relics and as seen above, they are kept in special containers called Reliquaries. First Class relics: bones of a saint, Second Class: something that belonged to the holy person and  Third Class relics: something that has touched the holy person.
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Relics have a very long history in the 2000 years of the universal or catholic church, many from the old testament.  We see some of the first real signs coming from the catacombs where the early christians celebrated mass. There was a kinship and belief early in the church that the body of Christ was in three parts called the Communion of Saints.  The full church is made up of 1. those on earth (Church Militant), 2. those in Purgatory (Church Penitent) and 3. those in Heaven (the Church Triumphant).
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The bible and church history teaches us that objects such as handkerchiefs, the hem of Christ's garment and holy images among other sacred objects such as the brazen serpent, Ark of the Covenant, sacred vessels of the Temple, holy places including the waters of the Jordan and the Pool of Bethsaida have played a roll in this mystery including the mantle of Elias.  In some wonderful way, these have a special relationship with God and hold no power of their own and are not to be considered 'magic'.
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NEW TESTAMENT
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MATTHEW 9:20
20 A woman suffering hemorrhages for twelve years came up behind him and touched the tassel 15 on his cloak  21 She said to herself, "If only I can touch his cloak, I shall be cured." 22 Jesus turned around and saw her, and said, "Courage, daughter! Your faith has saved you." And from that
 hour the woman was cured.
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ACTS 19:12
11 So extraordinary were the mighty deeds God accomplished at the hands of Paul  12
that when face cloths or aprons that touched his skin were applied to the sick, their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them.
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OLD TESTAMENT
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2 KINGS 13:21
21  Once some people were burying a man, when suddenly they spied such a raiding band. So they cast the dead man into the grave of Elisha, and everyone went off. But when the man came in contact with the bones of Elisha, he came back to life and rose to his feet.
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EXODUS 13:19
19 Moses also took Joseph's bones along, for Joseph had made the Israelites swear solemnly that, when God should come to them, they would carry his bones away with them.
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JOSHUA 24:32
32  The bones of Joseph, which the Israelites had brought up from Egypt, were buried in Shechem in the plot of ground Jacob had bought from the sons of Hamor, father of Shechem, for a hundred pieces of money. This was a heritage of the descendants of Joseph.
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