Oval glass-fronted silver reliquary theca housing the first-class ex ossibus (of the bone) relic of Saint Agatha of Sicily. The relic is affixed to a red silk ground surrounded by silver wire ornamentation and identified in Latin on a manuscript cedula label as Ex oss. //S. Agathae V. M. (of the bone of Saint Agatha Virgin and Martyr). On the back, the theca is secured with a perfectly preserved seal of red Spanish wax bearing an imprint of a coat of arms of Cardinal Marcantonio Colonna (†1793), Archpriest of the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore (1763–1793) and Vicar General of the Roman Curia. The theca is accompanied by the original matching authentics document issued and signed by Monsignor Colonna in 1784.
Saint Agatha of Sicily (†251) is venerated as a saint and martyr in the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, and Oriental Orthodox Churches. She is a holy patron of bellfounders; breast cancer; bakers; Catania, Sicily; protection from natural disasters; fire; earthquakes; volcanic eruptions; jewelers; nurses; rape victims; single laywomen; sterility; torture victims; nurses; wet nurses; as well as Sicily; San Marino; and Zamarramala, Spain. Her feast day is commemorated on February 5th.