Museum complex

Reliquary cross

Russia
1657
At the back of the cross inscription “YEAR … FEBRUARY AT 24TH PUT THIS CROSS OF GOLD WITH MULTIPLE RELICS OF ASTRAKHAN’S SAINTS TO THE CHURCH OF ANNUNCIATION THE GOD’S ARCHBISHOP HOLY JOSEPH OF ASTRAKHAN AND TEREK DECORATED IS THE CROSS WITH PEARLS WITH THREE CORUNDUMS BLUE AND TWO RUBIES AT THE BAILS”
Gold, silver, jewels, pearls; carving, gold plating
Acquisition: from Soyuzjuvelirtorg in 1937
Showcase 4

A gift to the Annunciation’s Cathedral of Astrakhan by archbishop Joseph (1597–1671), who was the first bishop of Astrakhan and Terek in southern Russia since 1667.
On 11 May 1671 he was murdered by Cossacks during a rebellion of Stepan Razin.

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