18th century oval glass-fronted silver reliquary theca housing first-class ex ossibus (of the bone) relic of Saint Lawrence Deacon of Rome, Martyr. The relics are affixed to a red silk background decorated with golden paper starburst and golden cord and identified on a manuscript cedulae as Ex Oss S. Laurentius Lev. M. (From the bone of Saint Lawrence, Deacon, Martyr). On the back, the theca is secured with perfectly preserved seal of red Spanish wax bearing an imprint of a coat of arms of Fr. Francesco Gaetano Incontri († 1781), Archbishop of Florence (1741-1781). It is accompanied by original matching authentics document issued by Fr. Incontri in 1770.
Saint Lawrence of Rome (Laurence in the Anglican Communion) († 258) was one of the seven deacons of the city of Rome under Pope Sixtus II who were martyred during the persecution by Emperor Valerian in 258. St Lawrence is one of the most widely venerated saints of the Roman Catholic Church.He is a holy patron of Rome, Rotterdam (Netherlands), Huesca (Spain), San Lawrenz, Gozo and Birgu (Malta), Barangay San Lorenzo San Pablo (Philippines), Canada, Sri Lanka, comedians, librarians, students, miners, tanners, chefs, roasters, poor, and firefighters. His Feast day is celebrated on August 10.