Relic from the Garment of Saint Anne, Mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary — 1895

Relic from the Garment of Saint Anne, Mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary — 1895

An exceptional 19th-century devotional relic of Saint Anne, the mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary and grandmother of Jesus Christ, preserved in its original silver-colored metal reliquary and accompanied by its original ecclesiastical Authentica dated July 7, 1895.

Saint Anne holds a particularly cherished place in Christian tradition as the mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the maternal grandmother of Jesus Christ. Together with her husband, Saint Joachim, she is traditionally honored for her faith, devotion, and the sacred responsibility of raising the woman chosen to become the Mother of God.

Although Saint Anne is not named in the canonical Gospels, her life is preserved in early Christian tradition, particularly the *Protoevangelium of James*. Her veneration developed throughout the Christian world, and she became especially beloved as the patron saint of mothers, grandmothers, families, and women awaiting childbirth.

The relic consists of a fragment of fabric traditionally associated with the garment of Saint Anne, identified by the Latin inscription “Ex Veste Sanctae Annae, Matris” — *From the garment of Saint Anne, Mother.*

The relic is carefully mounted upon a circular red backing, surrounded by an ornamental handwritten identification label, and displayed against a finely textured golden fabric background. It is enclosed beneath glass within a substantial circular silver-colored metal theca.

The reverse retains its original red ecclesiastical wax seal bearing a cardinal's coat of arms, secured by the original red threads.

Original Ecclesiastical Authentica — 1895

The relic is accompanied by its original ecclesiastical certificate of authenticity, issued in Mechelen, Belgium, on July 7, 1895, under the authority of the Archbishop of Mechelen, Primate of Belgium, and Cardinal-Priest of Santa Croce in Gerusalemme in Rome.

The beautifully engraved document features an elaborate decorative border, the cardinal's ecclesiastical coat of arms, an embossed seal, and original handwritten entries and signatures.

The certificate records the recognition and ecclesiastical authorization of the sacred relic, its placement within a circular metal reliquary, and its sealing with red silk threads and the official wax seal.

This remarkable devotional object preserves an intimate connection with the centuries-old Christian veneration of Saint Anne, combining a sacred textile relic, its original 19th-century reliquary, and formal ecclesiastical documentation.

Dimensions: 4 cm diameter × 1.3 cm thickness.

Date: 1895.

Origin of documentation: Mechelen, Belgium.

Condition: Antique reliquary with original ecclesiastical wax seal and securing threads, accompanied by its original Authentica.