Other forms: reliquaries
A reliquary is like a special treasure chest or display case for sacred items, like the relics of saints. Reliquaries are often richly decorated with precious gemstones and valuable metals like gold and silver.
A church might have a reliquary shaped like a mini cathedral that holds a fragment of a saint's bone, believed to connect the physical world with the divine. Because they contain valuable religious items, reliquaries are not just ordinary containers, but are often beautiful works of art themselves. Some reliquaries are even covered in carvings and images that tell a story about the holy items contained within, making them valuable pieces of art and history.