Large crystal-fronted silver theca dating to the 18th century and housing relics of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Evangelist, and the Holy Family, centered around a Passion Relic of the Purple Robe of Christ. The relics are affixed to a silk background decorated by the gilt paperolle ornamentation and identified on a manuscript cedulae labels:
- De Veste Purp. D.N.J.C. – Of the Purple Robe of Our Lord Jesus Christ
- De Velo B.M.V. – of the Veil of the Blessed Virgin Mary
- S. Anne M.M.V – St. Anne, Mother of the [Blessed] Virgin Mary
- S. Gio: Evang – St. John the Evangelist
- De Pallio S. Joseph SP. B.M.V. – of the Coat of St. Joseph, Husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary
- S. Gio: Batta – St. John the Baptist
- S. Joach. P. B.M.V. – St. Joachim, Father of the Blessed Virgin Mary
On the back, the theca is secured by a seal of red Spanish wax with a faint imprint of a Roman Catholic Bishop. The reliquary comes with an antique cloth pouch with an embroidered image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
According to the Gospels, before crowning Him with thorns after the Scourging at the Pillar, at the order of Herod Antipas, the Roman soldiers at the court forced Jesus Christ to wear a Purple Robe in mockery of His kingship of the Jews (Lk 23:6-12). The soldiers then stripped Christ of this robe after Pontius Pilate had presented Him to the mob (Jn 19:5) and made Him put back on His seamless garment to carry the Cross.