Part of Italian Tabernacle, c. 1880s

Part of the Italian Tabernacle. The carved wooden surface of it was gilded and silvered.  On the top, the sign "Panis vivus" is a Latin phrase meaning "living bread," which is most famously part of the phrase "Ego sum panis vivus," from the Bible, meaning "I AM the bread of life".At the bottom, it is said "Sic devs dilexit" is an incomplete Latin phrase, but when combined with the rest of the common saying "Sic Deus dilexit mundum," it translates to "For God so loved the world". It is the opening of a famous Bible verse, John 3:16, and is often used in religious contexts. The condition is very good. Italy, c. 1880s32.5"h x 17"w x 1"d