Reliquary theca with relics of 2 Martyrs: St. Mary of Escalos de Arriba & St. Candida of Rome

Oval glass-fronted brass pendant reliquary theca housing the first-class relics of two Christian Martyr saints: Saint Mary of Escalos de Arribaand Saint Candida of Rome. The relics are affixed to a red silk ground surrounded by silver wire and gilt paperolle ornamentation and identified in Latin on manuscript cedulae labels as S. Mariae Esc. // S. Candidae M. (Saint Mary of Escalos// Saint Candida, Martyr). On the back, the theca is secured by a perfectly preserved seal of red Spanish wax bearing an imprint with a coat of arms of Fr. Antonio Cantoni (†1781), Bishop of Faenza, Italy (1742–1767) and Archbishop of Ravenna, Italy (1767–1781). 

Saint Candida of Rome was one of a group of martyrs slain on the Ostian Way outside the gates of Rome. Candida's remains are enshrined in St. Praxedes church, and were blessed by Pope St. Pasehal I in the ninth century. The exact date of her death is not known, and her Feastday is commemorated on August 29.