Reliquary theca with Passion relic of the Holy Sepulchre (Empty Tomb) of Jesus Christ

An oval crystal-fronted silver pendant reliquary theca housing rarely seen precious relic from the Holy Sepulchre. The relic is displayed on the ground of gold silk and identified in Latin on an ornate manuscript cedula label as De Sepulcro D. N. Jesu. C. (from the Holy Sepulchre of Our Lord Jesus Christ). On the back, the reliquary is secured by a perfectly preserved seal of red Spanish wax bearing an imprint with a coat of arms of the Archdiocese of Milan. 

The Holy Sepulchre, or tomb of Christ, is the rock-cut burial site where, according to the Gospels, Jesus was laid after the Crucifixion and from which he rose on the third day, leaving it empty. The site was venerated by early Christians until Emperor Hadrian covered it with a pagan temple to Venus, St. Helena, mother of Emperor Constantine, identified the location during her pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Constantine ordered the temple demolished, revealing the ancient tomb beneath. He then built the magnificent Church of the Holy Sepulchre over the site, encompassing both Golgotha (Calvary) and the tomb. The church has endured destruction, rebuilding (notably after fires and the Crusades), and shared custody among Christian denominations. The tomb itself is enclosed in the Edicule shrine. Small stone fragments from the Sepulchre were taken as relics by medieval pilgrims and distributed to churches in Europe.