Reliquary theca with relic of St. Joseph of Cupertino, O.F.M. Conv., patron of students

Oval glass-fronted brass reliquary theca housing first-class ex carne (of the flesh) pre-canonization relic of ​Saint Joseph of Cupertino. The relic is affixed to a red silk ground surrounded by silver wire and gilt paperolle ornamentation and identified in Latin on a manuscript cedula label as B. Joseph a Cup. (Blessed Joseph of Cupertino). On the back, under the protective cap, the theca is secured with a seal of red Spanish wax bearing an imprint of a coat of arms of Fr. Antonio Cantoni (†1781), Bishop of Faenza, Italy (1742–1767) and Archbishop of Ravenna, Italy (1767–1781).

Saint Joseph of Cupertino, O.F.M. Conv. (†1663) was an Italian Conventual Franciscan friar who is honored as a Christian mystic and saint. He was said to have been remarkably unclever, but prone to miraculous levitation and intense ecstatic visions that left him gaping. Joseph was beatified in 1753 and canonized in 1767. He is a patron of The City of Osimo, aviation, astronauts, mental handicaps, test taking, students.