Abstract

In July 1999, during the reconstruction of the Baroque cupolas of the church towers in the former Cistercians Abbey in Ląd nad Wartą, two copper gilded spheres were disassembled. The following items were found inside the spheres: files of documents written on handmade paper, relics of the bones of the Magi and St. Dionysius inserted in paper packets and a silk pouch, and fragments of the Agnus Dei of Pope Innocent XI. Since the deposits were very poorly preserved, they had to undergo conservation. Having been conserved and appropriately protected, both the documents and relics were deposited in the Archive of Higher Seminary of the Salesians of Don Bosco in Ląd nad Wartą. The documents found in the spheres contained an outline history of the abbey and the founding document of the copper cupolas planted on the towers on 13 June 1720, as well as a list of the Ląd Abbey monks and guests attending the event. The cupolas were founded by Abbot Mikołaj Antoni Łukomski. Both the holy relics and the Agnus Dei medallion fragment were placed in the tower cupolas to protect the church and the abbey from disasters, especially fire, lightening strikes, and floods.