ENCOLPIUS. - This term designated small cases enclosing relics of saints, or other sacred objects, which the faithful used to wear hanging from the neck. «Crucem cum pretioso ligno, vel cum Reliquiis Sanctorum ante pectus portare suspensam, hoc est quod vocant encolpia» (Anastasius the Librarian, Ad. Act. 5, VIII Synodi).
These cases, however, had various forms. Sometimes they were small boxes, at other times they were in the form of small openable crosses, and often they bore engraved a brief apotropaic maxim, a scriptural text, or the depiction of some mystery of the Faith.
More often in ancient literature the e. is called phylacterion, but sometimes it is also designated by the term chrismarium, especially when it was in the form of a small ampulla containing drops of balsam or oil that had been in direct contact with the tombs of the martyrs (Du Cange, s. v. chrismarium).
The use of the e. among the faithful goes back to the most remote antiquity, and was common, as can be gathered both from writers and from ancient monuments, which have preserved descriptions or examples for us.
Its use is mentioned, among others: by St. Epiphanius (Panarion Haeres, 15, 4: CB 1, p. 202-2-11-13); by St. Gregory of Nyssa (Vita Macrinae: PG 46, 861, 989); by St. John Chrysostom (Hom. 19 ad pop. ant., 4: PG 49, 196); by Prudentius (Peristophanon, VI, 133-35; CSEL 61, 360); by St. Gregory the Great (Epistol., 6: 49, 12: PL 77, 799).
Among the numerous e. found during archaeological excavations in various localities, mention should be made first of all of that of the nielloed gold Cross found in the time of Pius IX, in the basilica of St. Lawrence outside the Walls, on the chest of a deceased person. It bears the following inscription, engraved on the arms of the Cross: EMMANOYHA - nobiscum Deus, and on the reverse: Crux est vita mihi, mors inimice tibi (cf. G.B. De Rossi, Bull. d'arch. crist., 1 [1863], pp. 31-35).
The e. worn by St. Paulinus of Nola must also have been of similar format, as appears from the description he himself left of it (cf. Epist., 31, ad Severum: CSEL 29).
The personal e. of St. Gregory the Great was perhaps also of the same workmanship, as can be concluded from the description given of it by John the Deacon (Vita S. Gregorii, IV, 80: PL 75, 228).
It should be noted finally that this frequent use of the e. must perhaps sometimes have degenerated into dangerous superstition, so that we see the fact that several Fathers rose up to combat it. Among these are to be numbered St. Anastasius of Alexandria (De annularis: PL 26, 1320); St. Jerome (Commentarium in Evang. s. Matthaei, 23: PL 26, 168); St. Caesarius of Arles (Sermo XIX, ed. dom Morin, I, Maretsous 1937, p. 87) and even a Council, that of Laodicea (can. 36).