Ark of Simon of Trent and Stories and miracles of ‘Simonino’

On 8 June 1588, to second the request of Cardinal Ludovico Madruzzo, Pope Sixtus V issued the bull with which he assigned the diocese of Trento the authorisation to say mass and officiate the major rite relating to the feast of ‘Simonino’, to be celebrated once a year on the 24 of March.
The event, celebrated for the first time in the following year in an extremely solemn form, was preceded by an imposing procession during which offerings were collected to fund a marble ark destined to contain the child’s remains.
The centre of the print shows the urn sculpted in 1590 by Domenico Tesini aka Varente, presently kept in the chapel already entitled to Simon annexed to the church of Saints Peter and Paul.
The print’s lateral compartments depict the main episodes of Simon’s story and some of his alleged miracles.