Antioch in Syria was the third largest city in the Roman Empire, after Rome and Alexandria,. It is also the city in which the disciples of Jesus were first called "Christian". For a period, St. Peter served as the first bishop of Antioch and led a large community there. But the severity of persecution under the Emperor Nero led to Peter's going to Rome and becoming the first head of the Roman Church - the first Pope. In 1054, the great schism began between Catholicism and Orthodoxy. This led to the Patriarchates of Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem and Constantinople all breaking with Rome. A Latin patriarch of each of these dioceses was assigned by Rome. Thus began a chain of Latin Patriarchs of Antioch. One of them was Domenico Giordani (1700-1787). In August 5, 1755, he was appointed titular Archbishop of Nicomedia. A month later, on September 4, 1755, he sealed and certified an altarpiece which contained major relics of three major saints associated with his career. (Later, on December 22, 1766, he was appointed Latin Patriarch of Antioch.) The relics are:
PART OF THE CRANIUM OF ST. BARBARA OF NICOMEDIA, MARTYR
Barbara was a virgin martyred in Nicomedia during the persecution of Maximus Daia. Her relics were transferred by the Emperor Justin (d. 527) from Nicomedia to Constantinople. In order to form a political alliance, Giovanni Orseolo, the son and successor of Doge Peter II Orseolo of Venice, was sent to Constantinople and there he was wed to the noble lady Maria Argyropolous in the imperial chapel. Maria brought her new husband a substantial dowry of money and her own palace in Constantinople. The Emperor Basil II (d. 1025) invested Giovanni as a patrician and, at Maria's request, gave her the holy relics of St. Barbara to take with her to Venice. In 1009, they were deposited in Torcello and later were moved to their present location in the neighboring island of Burano. Our relic comes from these relics. They remained there until, in 1930, they were transferred to the Cathedral of St. Vladimir. The Russian Orthodox also venerate a body of St. Barbara which is said to have been transferred from Constantinople to St. Michael's Monastery in Kiev.
PART OF THE CRANIUM OF ST. BARBARA OF NICOMEDIA, MARTYR
Barbara was a virgin martyred in Nicomedia during the persecution of Maximus Daia. Her relics were transferred by the Emperor Justin (d. 527) from Nicomedia to Constantinople. In order to form a political alliance, Giovanni Orseolo, the son and successor of Doge Peter II Orseolo of Venice, was sent to Constantinople and there he was wed to the noble lady Maria Argyropolous in the imperial chapel. Maria brought her new husband a substantial dowry of money and her own palace in Constantinople. The Emperor Basil II (d. 1025) invested Giovanni as a patrician and, at Maria's request, gave her the holy relics of St. Barbara to take with her to Venice. In 1009, they were deposited in Torcello and later were moved to their present location in the neighboring island of Burano. Our relic comes from these relics. They remained there until, in 1930, they were transferred to the Cathedral of St. Vladimir. The Russian Orthodox also venerate a body of St. Barbara which is said to have been transferred from Constantinople to St. Michael's Monastery in Kiev.
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A FINGER FROM THE RIGHT HAND OF ST. IGNATIUS “THEOPHOROS” OF ANTIOCH, MARTYR
St. Peter himself consecrated Evodius to succeed him as bishop of Antioch; Ignatius succeeded Evodius. Ignatius had probably known St. John the Apostle, who lived in the same area. When the Emperor Trajan came to Antioch in 107, he sentenced Ignatius to be torn by wild beasts in Rome. He was led over land to Seleucia, and from there by sea to Smyrna, where he met St. Polycarp. From Troas, he was hurried by 10 soldiers through Macedonia and Illyria. At Epirus, they crossed the Adriatic Sea. He attained a martyr’s crown in the Colosseum on December 19, 107. During his last journey, he wrote several epistles: at Smyrna, to the Ephesians, the Magnesians, the Trallans and the Romans; at Troas, to the Philadelphians, the Smynians and to St. Polycarp himself. Ignatius’ remains were returned and interred in the Daphne section of Antioch. The Emperor Theodosius II turned the temple of Fortune into a church dedicated to Ignatius and transferred his relics there. When Antioch fell into the hands of the Saracens, the relics were returned to Rome and enshrined in the church of San Clemente, their present home. Our relic came from there.
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A RIGHT HEEL BONE OF ST. POLYCARP OF SMYRNA, MARTYR
Polycarp was consecrated bishop of Smyrna (modern Izmir) c. 95 by St. John the Apostle. He was a friend of St. Ignatius of Antioch and the teacher of St. Irenaeus, bishop of Lyon and martyr. All these men wrote under the influence and in the tradition of St. John himself and church of Asia Minor. Polycarp discussed various questions concerning the differences in their ways of celebrating Easter with Pope Anicetus of Rome. He also converted many back from the Gnostic Valentinians and the Marcionite heretics. On his return from and Episcopal visitation, some pagans demanded his death as a component of some sort of pagan celebration. He retired to the country but was brought back to the city. He is the first martyr whose trial was recorded by an eyewitness. At the age of 86, he was brought before Proconsul Statius Quadratus, would not be dissuaded from publicly professing his faith and was condemned to be burned alive in the stadium in Smyrna and then killed by a dagger, after which the centurion burned his remains. However, his followers stuck around and gathered up his bones, treating them like treasured jewels; they gave them an honored burial. This is the first eyewitness account in history of Christians deliberately and carefully honoring the relics of a martyr. Polycarp’s tomb is at Mt. Mustasia near Smyrna, but his bones are now in Rome in the church of St. Ambrogio in Massima. Our relic comes from there.
Polycarp was consecrated bishop of Smyrna (modern Izmir) c. 95 by St. John the Apostle. He was a friend of St. Ignatius of Antioch and the teacher of St. Irenaeus, bishop of Lyon and martyr. All these men wrote under the influence and in the tradition of St. John himself and church of Asia Minor. Polycarp discussed various questions concerning the differences in their ways of celebrating Easter with Pope Anicetus of Rome. He also converted many back from the Gnostic Valentinians and the Marcionite heretics. On his return from and Episcopal visitation, some pagans demanded his death as a component of some sort of pagan celebration. He retired to the country but was brought back to the city. He is the first martyr whose trial was recorded by an eyewitness. At the age of 86, he was brought before Proconsul Statius Quadratus, would not be dissuaded from publicly professing his faith and was condemned to be burned alive in the stadium in Smyrna and then killed by a dagger, after which the centurion burned his remains. However, his followers stuck around and gathered up his bones, treating them like treasured jewels; they gave them an honored burial. This is the first eyewitness account in history of Christians deliberately and carefully honoring the relics of a martyr. Polycarp’s tomb is at Mt. Mustasia near Smyrna, but his bones are now in Rome in the church of St. Ambrogio in Massima. Our relic comes from there.
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The Cardinal Giordano Reliquary comes from the chapel of the Giordano Lanza family in Lucera, Italy.
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