Chest of Saint Simeon, Medieval sarcophagus in Church of St. Simon, Zadar, Croatia
The Chest of Saint Simeon is a long rectangular container made of silver and gold, displayed inside the Church of Saint Simeon in Zadar, Croatia. Its surfaces are covered in relief carvings showing biblical scenes and ornamental motifs, and it holds the relics of the saint inside.
The chest was made between 1377 and 1380 by goldsmith Francesco di Antonio da Sesto, on the order of Queen Elizabeth of Bosnia. She commissioned it to house the remains of Saint Simeon, which had been kept in Zadar for centuries before that.
The chest takes its name from Saint Simeon, the biblical figure who received the infant Jesus at the temple in Jerusalem. Visitors can see scenes from his life carved in silver along the sides, and the chest still draws local worshippers who come to pray before it.
The chest is inside the Church of Saint Simeon in central Zadar, within easy walking distance of the old town. Since the church is still in use for worship, visitors are expected to dress modestly and keep a respectful tone during their visit.
On the feast day of Saint Simeon, October 8, the chest is opened so that worshippers can touch the relics directly, a ritual that has continued for centuries. This annual opening draws many people from across the region to Zadar.
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