Posted 5 years ago
swelson
(3 items)
I've never seen a pendant quite like this one. It was with my deceased father's stuff, though it seems out of character for a guy who was neither religious or a collector. I figure it must have some significance I'm not seeing. Does it relate to any particular event? Is it collectible? Thanks for your help!
Here’s a little info on Worthpoint
https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/christogram-devotional-medal-ihs-via-513575832
Ms.CrystalShip - Thanks for the exuberant response. What's interesting is that my father was not a religious man. He was a non-practicing Jew. And he was not a collector at all. When he died in 1975, all of his personal items fit in a single box. It was odd that this item was one of those items.
Mrstyndall - Thanks for the link. Great info. You're obviously a much better searcher than I am!
Does that read ‘Southwark’ ???
It looks a bit rubbed.
In fact it is not a Roman Catholic object at all. Rather it is an Anglican Church medallion. The coat of arms to the rear is that ofthe Anglican Diocese of Southwark in South London.
The IHS to the centre is a Christogram - a monogram symbolizing Jesus Christ : an abbreviation of the Greek name Jesus.
Southwark Diocese was formed in 1905 and now covers an area of 317 sq miles. Nearly three million people live within its borders. That gives a twentieth century dateline for the object.
Great research results, knew it was not Catholic but the diocese and Southwark seemed Christian.
Mrs Tyndall’s link gives you another boxed version of the medal. It has the full inscription on the front: Via Vita Veritas.
A conglomeration of V’s.
It actually is a short form of Via et Vita et Veritas. This in turn is short for “Ego sum via et vitaet veritas” ..... a quote from the New Testament. John xiv 6.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Via_et_veritas_et_vita
If you look at the boxed medal on worthpoint you’ll see a clearer strike of the motto.
However the real use of this medal comes from the reverse.
The word “lectori” guggests alector or reader of the texts.
Alfred Wood explains: “The past 60 years have been a great joy. During that time I have had the privilege of being licensed by six Bishops of Southwark and to have served with five Rectors at St Margaret’s, Lee.
In 1952, St Margaret’s still rented pews and had an electoral roll of over 1,000. There were no lady Readers and Readers were not permitted to preach at the Eucharist. Blue scarves were yet to come, Readers being identified by a blue collarette supporting a ‘Y’ shaped silver medallion bearing the diocesan Coat of Arms and the inscription “dioeces: southwark lectori”. (sic) Permission to read the Epistle and to administer the chalice were rarely given and then only after special application by the incumbent to the diocesan Bishop. As we had two curates at the time, I had to wait nine years for this privilege!”
http://southwark.anglican.org/downloads/ministry/readers/SRadvent12.pdf
Therefore it’s function.
As to why your father may have had one of these symbols of office .... was he ever in London? Perhaps it was someone he knew that held the office of Lector at the cathedral? I doubt that it was his. But you might be able to check with the cathedral and ask if there are records of his involvement with them.