The Apostles and Evangelists stand at the foundation of Christianity. Chosen to proclaim the Gospel, they carried the teachings of Jesus Christ from Jerusalem throughout the ancient world, establishing Christian communities and preserving the testimony upon which the Church was built. Saint Peter became the leader of the Apostolic community and the first Bishop of Rome; Saint Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles, brought the Gospel across the Mediterranean; while Saints Andrew, James, John, Thomas, Philip, and their fellow Apostles preached in lands extending from Europe and Africa to India. Most ultimately sealed their testimony through martyrdom.
The four Evangelists—Saints Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—gave the Church the canonical accounts of the life, ministry, Passion, and Resurrection of Christ. Saint John holds the singular distinction of being both an Apostle and an Evangelist, traditionally identified as the beloved disciple who stood beside the Cross and received the Blessed Virgin Mary into his care.
From the earliest centuries of Christianity, the sacred remains of the Apostles and Evangelists were preserved beneath altars, within churches raised over their tombs, and in precious reliquaries carried to Christian communities throughout the world. Their relics formed a physical and spiritual connection between succeeding generations of believers and the first witnesses of the Gospel.
This collection presents authenticated antique reliquaries housing sacred relics of the Apostles and Evangelists. Together, these reliquaries preserve a direct devotional connection to the earliest missionary witnesses of the Christian faith.
