Concept in Definition ABC

The word reliquary has three meanings. It is the sacred place where relics are kept, usually related to a saint. It is also the box in which relics are kept, that is, objects of great value. A locket is also a jewel (usually a pendant or a medallion) inside which a special memory is deposited, for example a lock of hair.

Reliquaries in Christianity

In the tradition When a saint dies, the remains or personal belongings of him are deposited in a sacred place, generally in a church. These remains of saints and martyrs are kept in chests, which are known as reliquaries. These chests have obvious value symbolic, because they recall a historical character who stands out for his holiness and his exemplary life as Christian.

The locket as a jeweler

The jewels have a great economic value and at the same time a sentimental value. In ancient times, special boxes were used to group personal or family jewelery. These boxes or lockets have a symbology special, because they keep objects that evoke important memories (a loved one, a gift or an unforgettable celebration). Today the jewelery box or reliquary has become a collector's item and is related to the world of antiques or auctions of

Some goldsmiths make urns or caskets to keep jewelry. These pieces of jewelry may have a character religious, funerary or simply decorative.

The locket, a jewel with a certain mystery

The locket understood as a jewel is also known as a medallion or pendant. It is very common for these jewels to incorporate some element inside: a small photo, a inscription or are destined to guard a lock of hair, a drop of blood of a loved one or even their ashes. In the 19th century, reliquaries became very popular in British settings. In the Victorian world it was customary to give away a mourning locket, which had the purpose to remember a deceased person.

Carrying a locket is something different from wearing a simple piece of jewelry. In relation to this type of medallion there is generally a history full of feelings intense. In this way, when observing someone with a locket, we know that this object is related to something special and unique and only the owner of the locket knows its true meaning. Its mysterious sense remains manifest in the magical component of the locket in the Harry Potter stories.