Artist Statement: The word reliquary comes from the French word reliquaire, meaning “a receptacle, such as a shrine, for keeping and displaying sacred relics.” Reliquaries became an important part of Christian practices in Europe beginning in the third century. They could be made from metal or carved wood, often based on an architectural design, such as a Gothic church window like this one. They held precious stones, pictures, crucifixes, and religious relics.
Cruci Fixus is Latin for crucifix (one fixed to a cross). A crucifix is an image of Jesus on the cross, as distinct from a bare cross. The crucifix emphasizes Jesus' sacrifice—his death by crucifixion, which Christians believe brought about the redemption of mankind. Prayer in front of a crucifix, which is seen as a sacramental, is often part of devotion for Christians, especially those worshipping in a church, but also privately. The person may sit, stand, or kneel in front of the crucifix, sometimes looking at it in contemplation, or merely in front of it with head bowed or eyes closed. By the 19th century displaying a crucifix, similar to the one in this reliquary, somewhere in the general reception areas of a house became typical of Catholic homes. Use of the crucifix is in keeping with the statement by Saint Paul in Scripture, "we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God".