D, S. MARIA NUOVA,
ZARA]

The church of S. Simeone was a "Colleggiata," instituted in 1150 by
Archbishop Lampridius, and dedicated to S. Stephen. It was subsequently
called the Madonna della Pace, because the Madonna so called was
deposited in it in 1567 from the suburban church of S. Matteo. The body
of S. Simeon was brought here in 1632, having been in Zara since 1280,
when it was brought from Jerusalem by Bishop Periandro. The celebrated
"arca" was in the collegiate church of S. Maria to the north, destroyed
in the middle of the sixteenth century to make room for the
fortifications, a small chapel only being left standing, in which the
wooden arca was kept, the silver one being consigned to the care of the
nuns. In 1632 a new chancel was added to the church now S. Simeone; the
arca was repaired and placed in its present position. The campanile was
built in 1707. In the nave on one side are antique fluted columns with
Corinthian caps, which belonged to S. Stefano. The area is of cypress
wood, covered with silver plates, which are fastened with silver screws.
It cost 28,000 ducats, and was supported on four angels of silver. These
were melted down at the time of the war between Venice and Cyprus, and
have been replaced by two of stone and two of bronze made from cannon
taken from the Turks and given to Zara by Venice in 1647. On the lid a
figure of the saint nearly life-size lies, and on the sides and ends are
subjects referring to the history of the relics, and an inscription
giving the date of 1380, and the names of the Queen of Hungary as the
donor, and the goldsmith Franciscus of Milan as the artist. On the roof
is a panel showing the artist at work on it. There is a reproduction in
the Victoria and Albert Museum. In the treasury is a chalice also given
by Queen Elizabeth the younger, late Gothic in style, with Renaissance
additions, made of silver, parcel gilt, with niello and a little enamel;
it has an octagonal knop with coats of arms reversed on quatrefoil ends
and on the sexfoil foot. Upon the base of the cup are subjects in
outline, the Crucifixion and figures of saints in petal-like forms. The
treasury also contains some curious rococo painted vestments, apparently
in water-colour on silk. To the right of the choir, in a chapel just
outside the sacristy, is a reredos of _repousse_ silver--two big angels
kneeling below, and God the Father above a Madonna and Child with
painted faces, the rest of the figures b