1894 Documented Theca with Relic of St. Vincent de Paul, Patron of Charitable Works & founder of the Congregation of the Mission

An attractive oval glass-fronted gilt-metal reliquary theca housing a first-class ex cineribus (“from the bodily ashes”) relic of Saint Vincent de Paul. The Holy relic is displayed against gold-colored silk beneath a radiating metallic ornament and framed by gilt cord, sequins, and clear paste stones. It is identified in Latin on a typeset cedula label as “S. Vincent de P.” (Saint Vincent de Paul). The theca is set within an elaborate gilt-metal grapevine mount embellished with sculpted leaves, clusters of grapes, flowers, and clear, amber, and green paste stones. On the back, under the removable protective cap, the theca is secured with intact red silk cords and a seal of red Spanish wax bearing an imprint of the coat of arms of Archbishop Tommaso Reggio (†1901), Archbishop of Genoa (1892–1901), Domestic Prelate of His Holiness Pope Leo XIII, Assistant at the Pontifical Throne, Roman Count, and Perpetual Abbot of San Siro and Santa Maria Immacolata, who was subsequently beatified by Pope Saint John Paul II in 2000. The theca is accompanied by the matching authentics document issued at the Archiepiscopal Curia in Genoa on June 2, 1894, by Archbishop Reggio. The manuscript entry identifies the relic as “ex cineribus S. Vincentii a Paulo Confessoris” (“from the bodily ashes of Saint Vincent de Paul, Confessor”). The document bears the Archbishop’s printed coat of arms and blind-embossed archiepiscopal seal.

Saint Vincent de Paul (†1660) was a French priest and founder of the Congregation of the Mission, commonly known as the Vincentians, and, with Saint Louise de Marillac, the Daughters of Charity. He devoted his ministry to the rural poor, prisoners, clerical formation, and organized charitable service. Beatified in 1729 and canonized by Pope Clement XII in 1737, he was proclaimed universal patron of charitable works by Pope Leo XIII. His feast day is September 27.