Antique Relic of Venerable Adolphe Petit, S.J. | 1914 Fragment of His Clothing | Jesuit Devotional Relic

A rare early 20th-century Catholic devotional relic associated with Father Adolphe Petit, S.J. (1822–1914), the Belgian Jesuit priest and spiritual director later declared Venerable by the Catholic Church.

The original printed label reads:

“PARCELLE des VÊTEMENTS du P. ADOLPHE PETIT, S.J. décédé à Tronchiennes, le 20 mai 1914.”

Translated from French:

“Fragment of the clothing of Father Adolphe Petit, S.J., who died at Tronchiennes on 20 May 1914.”

The reverse bears a period Jesuit devotional emblem associated with the postulation for Father Petit.

Adolphe Petit was a Belgian Jesuit priest renowned for his spiritual direction, preaching and retreat ministry. After his death, devotion to him grew and his cause for beatification was introduced in Rome in 1937. In 1966, Pope Paul VI declared him Venerable.

Particularly remarkable is that an archival record held by KADOC-KU Leuven independently lists a 1914-era item under the title “Parcelle des vêtements du serviteur de Dieu Père Adolphe Petit SJ”, corresponding directly to this type of relic label.

This is a beautiful and historically significant devotional object for collectors of Jesuit history, Catholic relics, religious ephemera and early 20th-century devotional material.

Details

• Person: Father Adolphe Petit, S.J.
• Born: 22 May 1822, Ghent, Belgium
• Died: 20 May 1914, Tronchiennes, Belgium
• Relic type: Fragment of clothing / textile relic
• Label language: French
• Period: Circa 1914
• Material: Paper label with enclosed devotional relic material
• Size: approximately 5.2 × 2.8 cm
• Condition: Antique condition with natural age toning and minor signs of handling/storage