How the St Gemma Galgani relic lockets are made

How the St Gemma Galgani relic lockets and relic locket rosaries are made
The relics inside the St Gemma relic lockets and relic locket rosaries that I offer are wood fragments that come from two large pieces of wood from Saint Gemma's original coffin, called "ex capsa" in Latin. 

Gemma's original wooden coffin was exhumed as part of the official beatification/canonisation process, which began in 1907. 

I feel very blessed to have recieved these two large pieces of wood from her original coffin, and it is from these two large pieces of wood that the relics inside the St Gemma relic lockets come from.

Saint Gemma relics

As can be seen in the photos, these two pieces of wood came from the Postulator General of the Passionists in Rome back in 1952, and were originally sent to the Passionist nuns at the Chapel of Saint Gemma in Sittard, Netherlands. The relics have the official seal of the Postulator General of the Passionist Congregation, along with a signed document, attesting to their origin and authenticity.

The signed document of authenticity from the Postulator General of the Passionists in Rome, written in Latin states the following:

(Translated from Latin to English)

We give credit to the inspection of all letters of praise. We have taken from the authentic remains, which are preserved with us, two pieces from the wooden box in which the sacred body of Saint Gemma Galgani, the Virgin of Lucca, was first buried. In whose faith we have given these Letters, twice signed, and secured by our seal.

Given at Rome, SS. John and Paul: May 20, AD 1952

(Signed)

Aegidius Joseph a SS. Cordibus

Postulator General C.P.

Some examples of St Gemma Galgani relic holy prayer cards

As a side note, readers might also be interested to know that the Saint Gemma relic holy cards that the Passionist nuns at St Gemma's monatery in Lucca, Italy have been issuing for many decades also contain the "ex capsa" fragments of wood from Gemma's coffin. They too have the official seal of the Passionists.  

The relic locket rosaries that I offer in the St Gemma Gift Store are made of beautiful 7mm glass beads and each bead is "lock linked" into place with washers on both sides of the bead, and the rings that join the crucifix and the locket center to the rosary are triple looped, making these rosaries very sturdy.

As for the relic lockets, they are all 20mm (approx 3/4 of an inch) and are of very solid construction. They are not waterproof however, therefore if wearing them I recommend taking them off when bathing.

The relic locket rosaries and relic lockets are individually hand made and are not mass produced in a factory. Thus, each one is unique and special.

For those interested, more details concerning this Saint Gemma relic can be found here.

Click here to go to the St Gemma Gift Store where these items and others are being offered.