Relics

Material about relics in general

“Relics in the end must point beyond themselves to God, and any veneration

or honour given to them is honour to God who has crowned the saints with glory,

and who wishes to bless us through our love for, and appreciation of,

his special friends.” Fr Christopher O’Donnell, Order of Carmelites.

Pope Benedict XVI

“By inviting us to venerate the mortal remains of the martyrs and saints,

the Church does not forget that, in the end, these are indeed just human

bones, but they are bones that belonged to individuals touched by the

transcendent power of God. The relics of the saints are traces of that

invisible but real presence which sheds light upon the shadows of the

world and reveals the Kingdom of Heaven in our midst. They cry out with

us and for us ‘Maranatha!’ – ‘Come Lord Jesus!’”

(Pope Benedict XVI, Address to Young People at Cologne, 2005).

What is a relic?

A relic is either part of the physical remains of a holy person after his or her death, or an object which has been in contact with his or her body. The most important relic is that of the Cross of Jesus Christ, which is traditionally held to have been discovered by St. Helena during her famous pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 326.

The veneration of relics is found in many religions and is rooted in the natural human instinct to treat with reverence anything connected with those we love who have died.

Relics in the Bible

In the Old Testament, miracles were worked through the cloak of the prophet Elijah (2 Kg. 2:14) and the bones of his follower Elisha (2 Kg. 13:21). The New Testament speaks of healings worked by handkerchiefs that had been in contact with St. Paul’s body (Acts 19:12).

Relics in Church history

From earliest times the bodies of the martyrs were held in special veneration. The relics of St. Polycarp (69–155), for example, were described as being “more valuable than precious stones and finer than refined gold.” In Rome, prayer services were held in the catacombs, and from the fourth century, the Eucharist was celebrated over the tombs of the martyrs.

St. Jerome (345–420) explained that the relics of the martyrs are honoured for the sake of him whose martyrs they are. St. Augustine (345–430) added that their bodies were worthy of veneration since they served them during their lifetime as organs of the Holy Spirit. The Second Council of Nicaea (787) laid down that no Church should be consecrated without relics of saints being placed in the altar stone. This was re-affirmed by the Catholic Church in the 1977 “Rite of Dedication of a Church.”

More than bones

An Irish bishop, reflecting on the visit of St. Thérèse’s relics to Ireland in 2001, said that the casket contained “not just bones” but “the remains of a burnt-out love for God.”

Why venerate relics today?

There are two main reasons for venerating relics today:

1. God shows his approval of the veneration of relics by granting healings and other graces. This is especially the case with St. Thérèse, where miracles began happening at her tomb soon after her death, and have continued wherever her relics have travelled.

2. God uses a variety of physical things to strengthen our spiritual life. The creation itself helps us know something of his wisdom and love. The sacraments use bread, wine, oil, water and other physical things to give us spiritual life, provided we receive them in faith. Relics help us feel close to a holy person, thus making us more aware that the saints are our friends, and fostering in us a desire for holiness.