Catholic Art ~ Sr. Maria Angelina’s Crucifix
Catholic Art ~ Sister Maria Angelina’s Crucifix
A gold-toned crucifix that I found in an antique/junk store is the relic for this Catholic art reliquary. It echoes the rosary that this young woman is holding in her left hand, as well as the crucifix hanging on the wall in background.When I found this real photo postcard of a nun, I knew it would be perfect for a Catholic art reliquary. There is no postage stamp nor date for this card; the only identification is an imprint indicating that it was taken in a studio in Palermo, Italy. The name Angelina is written in pencil on the back.
As I did some research about nuns, I discovered that this young lady is probably not a nun at all but a postulate, a sort of nun-in-training. A young woman spends six months to a year as a postulate on her way to taking her vows. This is only the first of several stages on her way to becoming a nun.
This Catholic reliquary is adorned with gold and black paper and paint. Crystals, amber stones, and rose accented cabochons arc over Angelina’s head. The relic itself is a lovely crucifix, similar to the one the nun is holding. It is stitched to a shimmering gold pillow covered with black lace and surrounded by black trim. On the back of the crucifix is engraved: “I am a Catholic. In case of emergency, call a priest.” No ambulance? No police? No Life Flight or family? A priest! Now that’s faith!
You can see some more reliquaries by visiting Reliquary ~ Theresa’s Cross and Mixed Media Artwork ~ Saint Joan of Arc.