Antique Ebony and Nickel Pectoral Crucifix, Circa 1890s-1920s

Pectoral crucifix of ebonized wood with nickel-capped ends and a cast corpus.

Pectoral crucifixes, named for the Latin pectus, chest, were worn over the heart on a cord or chain, or tucked into the belt of the habit. A nun typically received hers at the ceremony of her final vows and wore it for the rest of her life, often being buried with it; priests and missionaries carried them for blessings and at the deathbed, where the crucifix was held before the dying during the last rites. Most were made in France and Germany between the 1880s and 1930s in this classic ebony and nickel style.

Shows wear consistent with age.