Relic of Saint Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist in pure sterling silver reliquary

The reliquary is accompanied by its original Roman ecclesiastical Authentica, dated 4 April 1911, issued under the authority of Cardinal Pietro Respighi (1843–1913), Cardinal-Priest of Santi Quattro Coronati and Vicar General of Rome, one of the highest ecclesiastical offices in the Diocese of Rome.

Cardinal Respighi had been created Cardinal by Pope Leo XIII in 1899 and served as Cardinal Vicar of Rome from 1900 until his death in 1913.

Dimensions of the theca: 3 × 2.5 cm.

Saint Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist, one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ and one of the Four Evangelists, is traditionally identified with Matthew the tax collector, whom Christ called to leave his former life and follow Him.

Christian tradition recognizes him as the author of the Gospel of Matthew, a Gospel particularly distinguished by its emphasis on Christ as the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy and by its preservation of the Sermon on the Mount.

Saint Matthew preached the Gospel after the Resurrection of Christ and, according to ancient Christian tradition, ultimately suffered martyrdom for the faith. His traditional symbol in Christian art is the winged man or angel.

This important relic is preserved in an elegant solid sterling silver oval theca, containing a substantial sacred fragment identified as belonging to Saint Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist, mounted beneath glass and accompanied by its original identification label.

All original threads and ecclesiastical seals remain intact. The relic is accompanied by its original Authentica, dated 1911, preserving the integrity and documented ecclesiastical provenance of this exceptional ensemble.