According to the Orthodox tradition, the body of Saint Isidore remained in Chios until the 12th century, when it (a portion) was transferred to Constantinople and placed in the Church of Hagia Irene. Roman Catholic tradition says that Saint Isidore's body (a portion) was stolen by the Latin priest Cebrano Cebrani from Chios (his discovery of the relics took place on December 7, 1124), when Doge Domenico Michiel was wintering in Chios, and taken to Venice in 1125, where it was hidden in the palace of Doge Domenico Michiel.
It was re-discovered in the early fourteenth century and exposed to public veneration in Saint Mark's Basilica, where also a chapel was built dedicated to the Saint. In 1356, the relics of Saints Isidore and Myrope were moved by the Latins to their chapel in the Church of Saint Mark in Venice, thus connecting this martyr from Alexandria with the Apostle Mark who preached the gospel in Alexandria. His relic is kept in a niche above the altar of the Chapel of Saint Isidore in Saint Mark's Basilica.
It was re-discovered in the early fourteenth century and exposed to public veneration in Saint Mark's Basilica, where also a chapel was built dedicated to the Saint. In 1356, the relics of Saints Isidore and Myrope were moved by the Latins to their chapel in the Church of Saint Mark in Venice, thus connecting this martyr from Alexandria with the Apostle Mark who preached the gospel in Alexandria. His relic is kept in a niche above the altar of the Chapel of Saint Isidore in Saint Mark's Basilica.
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| Chapel of Saint Isidore in the Basilica of Saint Mark in Venice |
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The "Translatio mirifici martyris Isidori a Chio insula in civitatem venetam" is the testimony of Cebrano Cebrani, an eyewitness to the Venetian campaign of the period 1122-1124, regarding the "pious" theft of the relic of Saint Isidore, which took place during the Venetian return journey from the Holy Land. The saints who "accepted" to be transferred to Venice, from ports/stations on the trade routes to the East, during the period 1123-1126, were said to have ratified with their grace the commercial privileges of the Venetians, which Emperor John II Komnenos refused to ratify.
On September 17, 1627 the skull of Saint Isidore encased in a silver and jeweled reliquary, was stolen from Constantinople by a local Christian financed by Venetian authorities and translated to Venice by Pantaleo Risicari, where it arrived on March 1 in 1627.
On September 17, 1627 the skull of Saint Isidore encased in a silver and jeweled reliquary, was stolen from Constantinople by a local Christian financed by Venetian authorities and translated to Venice by Pantaleo Risicari, where it arrived on March 1 in 1627.
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| Portion of the relics of Saint Isidore in Chios |
Through the actions of the then vicar of the Holy Metropolis of Chios, Metropolitan Iakovos II (Kleomvrotos) of Mytilene, and the acceptance by the Roman Catholic Church, Cardinal Urbani sent, after 842 years, a portion of a sacred relic of Saint Isidore to Chios on Sunday, June 18, 1967, the day of Pentecost. Since then and to this day, it has been kept in the Metropolitan Church of Saints Menas, Victor and Vincent.
A portion of the relic of Saint Isidore is also said to be kept in Philotheou Monastery at Mount Athos.
