Following the exhibition on episcopal croziers in 2025, the Cathedral Treasury is presenting an exhibition on another symbol of ecclesiastical dignity: the pectoral cross. From the Latin "pectus," meaning "chest" or, more symbolically, "heart," the pectoral cross is a cross worn around the neck, suspended by a chain or cord, and resting on the chest.
This new exhibition offers a fascinating journey into the history of these unique objects: signs of dignity, objects of devotion, markers of spiritual identity, and masterpieces of goldsmithing. It explores how sacred art makes the invisible visible: how an object worn on the chest becomes at once a sign of faith, a symbolic language, and a work of art.
Drawing on pieces from several public and private collections, it traces the stylistic and iconographic evolution of this religious insignia, which is sometimes richly decorated.