1920s to 1940s Catholic Devotional Reliquary Catholic Religious Cardinal Pacelli pre Pope

This is intended to depict a Roman Catholic cardinal from roughly the 1920s–1940s, and the reliquary format is an important clue.

A few observations:

• The red biretta and mozzetta-style shoulder cape clearly indicate a cardinal rather than an ordinary bishop.
• The facial style, pose, and photographic retouching are very characteristic of devotional Catholic items produced in the first half of the 20th century.
• Since it was attached to a cross and relic ribbon, it was probably part of:
  • a devotional reliquary,
  • pilgrimage souvenir,
  • funeral/memorial object,
  • or a Catholic society item.

The face actually resembles several American and European cardinals of the interwar period, but one possibility that stands out more strongly from this clearer image is:

• Cardinal Eugenio Pacelli before becoming pope in 1939.

Why that possibility:

• the narrow face,
• high cheekbones,
• smooth youthful appearance,
• and distinctive Roman-style biretta shape.

However, I still cannot state this definitively because these small devotional portraits were often heavily retouched and sometimes based on generic studio images.

Another possibility is that it represents a local cardinal distributed through Catholic devotional channels rather than a globally famous church figure.

The reliquary aspect is especially interesting because:

• true relic holders often contained a tiny cloth fragment or relic thread under the red sealing ribbon,
• sometimes associated with a saint, pope, or high-ranking cleric,
• and many were privately assembled by convents or church goods makers.

The ornate brass floral frame also feels more late Victorian/Edwardian than mid-century, which could place the mount around 1900–1930 even if the portrait insert was later.

At this point, the best chance of a positive identification would be:

1. the detached cross,
2. the interior if it opens,
3. measurements,
4. or any tiny paper label hidden under the backing.

Without markings, I would currently describe it as:

“Early 20th-century Catholic reliquary pendant or devotional piece with portrait of a cardinal, possibly Cardinal Pacelli (later Pope Pius XII), in ornate brass floral mount.”