Bernardus, bishop of Nazareth, circa 1120. Seal (Lead, 39 mm, 34.71 g, 12 h). BERNARDVS NAZARENVS [EPISCOPVS] within two concentric circles; in center, bishop Bernardus standing facing, holding crosier in his left hand. Rev. AVE MARIA [...] within two concentric circles; within, the Annunciation: the Virgin seated to right, facing the angel Gabriel standing left, raising his left hand in a gesture of speech and holding scepter in his right. Apparently unpublished. A highly important seal of the first known Latin prelate of Nazareth. Some corrosion on the obverse, otherwise, good very fine.


William of Tyre mentions a Bernardus, bishop of Nazareth, being present at the Council of Nablus of AD 1120, that produced the first written laws for the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem (Book 12, 13. 28). Bernardus decided that the Annunciation would appear on his seal, evidently because this celebrated event took place in Nazareth, his bishopric. The Annunciation, accompanied by the legend 'Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee' (Luke 1:28), also appears on the seals of later Latin prelates of Nazareth, who were archbishops by their time.