SAINTE-ANNE-DE-BEAUPRÉ SNAKE

This double stained snake is housed in an anointing vial from the The Basilica of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré. This snake is incredibly clear, allowing for its skeletal structure to be fully observed. Its ornate and alluring positioning make this piece one-of-a-kind.

The Basilica of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré is a basilica set in the heart of Quebec City, and one of the five national shrines of Canada. It has been credited by the Catholic Church with many miracles of curing the sick and disabled. It is an important Catholic sanctuary, which receives about a half-million pilgrims each year.

The basilica in Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré was initially a shrine to honour Saint Anne. On March 8, 1658, settler Etienne de Lessard donated two frontal acres from the west end of his property to the Catholic Church, so that a chapel could be built. This chapel eventually became the site of the modern-day basilica.

This specimen now lives in Toronto, Ontario.