Treasures of the Abbey of St. Maurice at the Louvre

The website of FranceTV reports on a very interesting exhibition at the Musée du Louvre: for the first time in its history, the Abbey of St. Maurice in Canton Valais, Switzerland, is loaning out some of its treasures to be seen in a museum. The Abbey is one of the oldest sites of Christian worship in the world, founded by the bishop St. Theodore in the later decades of the fourth century, on the site of the martyrdom of the St. Maurice and the Theban Legion. It has accumulated and preserved some remarkable pieces over the centuries, including a number of beautiful medieval reliquaries and liturgical items. The exhibition runs until June 14th.

A reliquary box from the first half of the 7th century.

The “Cup of St. Martin”; the sardonyx vessel was made in the 1st century B.C., but the stand and lip are from the 6th century A.D.

A reliquary bust of St. Candidus, one of the Theban Legion, made in 1165. Image from Wikimedia Commons