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THé Rüssíañ Störe
Fine Orthodox Icons and Religious Artifacts
P. O. Box 3075, Palm Beach, Florida, 33480, USA
http://www.russianstore.com Tel: (+1) 561-723-3131
Inventory Code: 06-DDCR-23
Relics: Saint Joseph, husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Stephen, the Protomartyr
Origin: Italy
Dating: 1784
Size: reliquary: 43 mm x 33 mm (1 ½ in x 1 ¼ in)
Label: Documentation: secured by a red Spanish wax seal with coat of arms of Vatican Protonotary Apostolic, and
with original authentics document issued in 1784 under the authority of pope Pius IX.
Description:
Oval silver glass-fronted theca decorated on the exterior with twisted wire and on the interior with paperole and
housing ex pallio relic of Saint Joseph, husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary and ex ossibus relic of Saint
Stephen, the Protomartyr identified in 18th century ductus as S. Joseph Sp. / S. Stephani Pr. The theca is secured
by a seal of red Spanish wax with a cardinal’s coat of arms and comes with original matching 1784-dated authentics
document issued by cardinal Marcantonio Colonna (†1793), Vicar General of Roman Curia and Protonotary
Apostolic under the authority of Pope Pius VI (p. 1775-1799) as signified by his coat of arms on the title of the
document.
The earliest records of a formal devotional following for Saint Joseph date to the year
800 and reference to him as nutritor Domini (educator/guardian of the Lord). Together
with the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Child Jesus, Joseph is one of the three members
of the Holy Family. The formal veneration of the Holy Family began in the 17th
century by bishop (Saint) François de Laval (†1688). Of all the saints in Christendom,
the only ones of whom we possess no ex ossibus (from the bone) relics are the Blessed
Virgin Mary and her husband Saint Joseph. This lack of bodily relics is attributed to the
Assumption of the Virgin Mary into heaven body and soul, which is one of the great
Marian Dogmas of the Church. The same reasoning is applied to lack of bodily relics
of Saint Joseph, Virgin-Father of Christ and Chaste Spouse of Mary.
Saint Joseph is the patron saint of a number of cities, regions and countries, among
them the Americas, Canada, China, Croatia, Mexico, Korea, Austria, Belgium, Peru,
the Philippines and Vietnam, as well as of families, fathers, expectant mothers
(pregnant women), travelers, immigrants, house sellers and buyers, craftsmen,
engineers, and working people in general.
Saint Stephen who is traditionally venerated as the Protomartyr of Christianity was a
deacon in the early church at Jerusalem who aroused the enmity of members of various
synagogues by his teachings. Accused of blasphemy, at his trial he made a long speech
denouncing the Jewish authorities and was then killed by being stoned to death.
In 415 AD a priest named Lucian purportedly had a dream that revealed the location of
Stephen's remains at Beit Jimal. After that, the relics of the protomartyr were taken in
procession to the Church of Hagia Sion on December 26, 415, making it the date for the
feast of St. Stephen. In 439, the relics were translated to a new church north of the
Damascus Gate built by the empress Aelia Eudocia in honor of St. Stephen. This church
was destroyed in the 12th century. The relics of the protomartyr were later translated to
Rome by Pope Pelagius II during the construction of the basilica of San Lorenzo fuori le
Mura. They were interred alongside the relics of St. Lawrence, whose tomb is enshrined
within the church. According to the Golden Legend, the relics of Lawrence moved
miraculously to one side to make room for those of Stephen.
St. Stephen is venerated by the Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, Oriental Orthodox and Eastern Orthodox Churches and
his feast day is celebrated on October 26. He is a patron saint of masons, casket makers, horses, relief of headaches.
Coat of arms of
Monsignor Marcantonio Colonna (†1793)