The Reliquary

The bone relic it contains is a 
fragment of the cranium of our 
Holy Mother St. Clare

DETAILS OF THE RELIQUARY


Dimension: Height is 65cm with an oval base of 24 cm diameter, the glass round case has a diameter of 9cm. Material: The relic presents a bronze structure casted and polished, with glazed and glossy gold finishing; the round case containing the relic is gilded with brass, the frontal part and back part is in glass and has a back opening. Description: The form shown in the upper part are flying angels that crown the case containing the relic, above it, in a central position, is the Madonna. Under the case, is a falling water spring that forms the stand of the relic; on both sides is shown St Clare (or a Poor Clare) and the Cross, in the middle of it is a little plant.

The cranium is an interesting relic from Mother St. Clare.   What is the message of the cranium?   What is the role of the cranium?  It is part of the skull, the case that protects the most important, most precious organ of the human body: THE BRAIN. Clare was the "brain" of the Church and of the society of her time. What does the brain do?   The brain is the central power-house of the human person.  It is like the computer that organizes everything that makes a human person work and feels and laughs. It is all in the brain.  Everything.  The brain manages the heart and all the organs; it is the brain that thinks and loves and feels and prays. What a terrific symbol for Clare!  It is not a romantic symbol like the heart, but, take the brain away and our heart is a simple hamburger!   The example of Clare as a TOTAL PERSON is overwhelming.  It is precisely the image of our time, so modern. The bone relic it contains is a fragment of the CRANIUM of our Mother St. Clare of about 4 cms. in width.