Treasures of the Cathedral Museum of Urbino

% of readers think this story is Fact. Add your two cents.

Here are some pictures from the diocesan museum of the city of Urbino in the Romagna region of Italy, taken by Nicola during our recent visit. The museum has two very well preserved medieval  miters and two ivory episcopal crooks. However, the real flowers of the collection date to the reign of Pope Clement XI Albani (1700-21), a native of Urbino, who donated a number of very beautiful liturgical items to the cathedral. The museum also preserves something very unusual, a papal tiara of decorated papier-mâché, which was made to be set on the catafalque during the Requiem Masses celebrated for him. Unfortunately, we were unable to visit the cathedral itself, since it is currently closed for restorations.

A miter of the mid-14th century in gold and silver threads, (popularly said to have belonged to the Bl. Mainardo, bishop of Urbino from 1056-88.)

Two ivory episcopal crooks of the 14-century, both decorated with the scene of the Annunciation inside the curl.

The following three items were donated to the cathedral by Card. Annibale Albani (1682-1751), Pope Clement’s nephew; first, a silver monstrance for Eucharistic processions.

Medallions made of gilded plaster, on the left of Pope Clement XI, and on the right, his brother Orazio II, Prince of Soriano.