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Reliquary Cross

Unknown author17th century

Museu Nacional de Machado de Castro

Museu Nacional de Machado de Castro
Coimbra, Portugal

This reliquary-cross, held up by a pair of intensely naturalistic crab claws, is associated with an episode in the life of St. Francis Xavier, when this Jesuit apostle was on a mission in the Malacca Islands. During a storm at sea, the saint lowered the cross he had with him under the waves, upon which the seas calmed themselves. However, the cross was lost. Some time later, when St. Francis was walking along the beach, a crab gave him back his cross, which the reliquary now preserves, as can be read on the reverse: "THIS HOLY CROSS IS THE SAME THAT THE CRAB BROUGHT TO THE BEACH TO ST. XAVIER". The piece belonged to College of Jesus in Coimbra.

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  • Title: Reliquary Cross
  • Creator: Unknown author
  • Date Created: 17th century
  • Physical Location: Machado de Castro National Museum, Coimbra, Portugal
  • Physical Dimensions: 36 cm x 18.5 cm
  • Provenance: Jesus College in Coimbra
  • Type: Precious Metalwork
  • Rights: Photo: DGPC/ADF - Photographic Documentation Archive
  • Medium: Silver
Museu Nacional de Machado de Castro

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