Antique reliquary box with relics for- Saint Jane Francis de Chantal.

Antique reliquary box with relics for- Saint Jane Francis de Chantal.

France early 1900.

Size: 3 cm diameter X 1.8 cm H

SAINT CHANTAL

Jane Frances de Chantal, VHM (born Jeanne-Françoise Frémyot, Baroness of Chantal; 28 January 1572 – 13 December 1641) was a French Catholic noble widow and nun who was beatified in 1751 and canonized in 1767. She founded the Order of the Visitation of Holy Mary. The religious order accepted women who were rejected by other orders because of poor health or age.

When people criticized her, Chantal famously said, “What do you want me to do? I like sick people myself; I’m on their side.” During its first eight years, the new order also was unusual in its public outreach, in contrast to most female religious who remained cloistered and adopted strict ascetic practices.