Continuing the charge first given at Saint-Maurice d’Agaune, A.D. 515.
The Sovereign Order of Saint Sigismund has protected the holy relics of Christendom for more than a millennium.
In Defence of Faith and Relics
Let none forget that the relics of the saints are not dead bones, but living witnesses of Heaven. As kings guard their crowns, so shall you guard these holy things — not for gold, nor for glory, but for the honour of God and the defence of His Church. If the hand of man should profane them, let your faith be their shield; if time should seek to bury them, let your memory be their light. I charge you, by the Cross and by my crown, to keep watch over what is most sacred, until the last trumpet shall sound and the saints rise in glory.
– King Sigismund of Burgundy, AD 515
The Sigismundine Relics Map
The Sigismundine Relics Map is a comprehensive digital atlas documenting the verified relics and custodial sites recognized by the Order of Saint Sigismund across Europe and the Holy Land. Drawing upon the Index Reliquiarum Sigismundinus and diocesan archival sources, the map integrates historical, ecclesiastical, and scientific data into an interactive geographic interface.
Each entry is authenticated through episcopal documentation and cross-referenced with the Order’s digital repository, the Archivum Sigismundi Digitale. Updated continuously by the Council of Custodians, the Relics Map serves scholars, clergy, and conservators as a definitive visual register of Christian relic heritage — uniting centuries of devotion, documentation, and custodianship in a single comprehensive system.
Scientific Research and Authentication of Relics
The Order of Saint Sigismund conducts advanced scientific and historical research dedicated to the authentication, preservation, and documentation of sacred relics and associated artefacts. This work forms a core function of the Institute for Custodial Studies (Sion) — the Order’s research division — established to bridge the disciplines of theology, conservation science, and archival studies.
Research within the Institute integrates radiocarbon and isotopic analysis, multispectral imaging, metallurgical microscopy, and DNA residue testing with traditional paleographic and ecclesiastical methods. Each examination seeks to establish verifiable provenance while preserving the spiritual and cultural integrity of the relic itself.
Financial Independence and Stewardship
The Order of Saint Sigismund is sustained through private endowments and benefactions provided by its members and patrons, allowing the Order to operate without public solicitation or fundraising campaigns.
This financial independence preserves the dignity, discretion, and continuity of its sacred mission, ensuring that all resources are directed solely toward custodial, scholarly, and charitable purposes.
By maintaining a model of self-sufficiency rooted in private support, the Order safeguards both its integrity and its capacity to serve the Church and the academic community without commercial or political influence.
