Relic or not a relic?

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Jason_1977

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I have a crucifix made of olivewood from the holyland, & at the base of the crucifix is a pebble from the hill Jesus was crucified. Someone told me that pebble is a 1st class relic based on its instrumentation in the passion, is there any truth to this? Is it a 1st class relic? Open to any thoughts…thanks!!!
 
Jason_1977 said:
I have a crucifix made of olivewood from the holyland, & at the base of the crucifix is a pebble from the hill Jesus was crucified. Someone told me that pebble is a 1st class relic based on its instrumentation in the passion, is there any truth to this? Is it a 1st class relic? Open to any thoughts…thanks!!!
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No, Jason, it is not a First Class relic; a first class relic is the body or a part of the body of a Saint or Blessed. (If it was a First Class relic you would not have been able to purchase it as the selling of relics is forbidden.) Although the pebble is said to be from Golgotha, you have no way of knowing if it was there at the time Our Lord was crucified or was touched by His Blood so as to make it a true relic of His Crucifixion. At best it’s a nice remembrance of His sacrifice for us.
 
I have a similar crucifix. It has four tiny “chambers” on the top, the bottom and the sides of the crucifix. It contains soil, dried leaves, dried myrrh and pebbles. All from the Holy Land.

The idea, (as I understood it) is that they are “holy” because they came from the places where Our Lord lived, and walked.

But the family that sells them don’t “claim” them to be relics. Could yours, possibly… be along the same line?
 
You wouldn’t happen to have purchased it from the Missionary Oblates or had someone gift you the crucifix that bought it from them?

I have a crucifix that exactly as you described that I bought from the Oblates and it wasn’t described as a relic nor do I consider it to be one since as other posters have stated, you don’t really know if the stone is an original stone from Golgotha and relic’s cannot be sold.

Here is a photo of the crucifix I bought so you can compare it to the one you have.

(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)
 
TempleofTheSoul said:
You wouldn’t happen to have purchased it from the Missionary Oblates or had someone gift you the crucifix that bought it from them?

I have a crucifix that exactly as you described that I bought from the Oblates and it wasn’t described as a relic nor do I consider it to be one since as other posters have stated, you don’t really know if the stone is an original stone from Golgotha and relic’s cannot be sold.

Here is a photo of the crucifix I bought so you can compare it to the one you have.

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_xqzQ1Mvw8Ro/StOr6iYTTHI/AAAAAAAAACw/Icn5XTdIxTc/CrucifixStone.jpg
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That is EXACTLY the crucifix!!! And I got it from exactly the same people. When I told someone about the cross & where I got it they said, wow, that pebble is a 1st class relic. I said nuh UH…lol…but the person insisted, so I pose the question because I realize relics cant be sold, but the “containers” can be, so I posed the question. I didnt think so, but I do thank you for sharing your answers. I do appreciate it…NOW>…on the SAME NOTE…I bought the rosary & box from the same people, the st. joseph rosary, now I’m trying to figure out where exactly that 4rd class relic was touched to…the crucifix came in a set w. the rosary & box all made of the same thing. If you can answer that one, I’ll owe ya a pepsi, because I can’t figure it out for the life of me…
 
First Class Relics:
  1. Relics of the True Cross
  2. Instruments of the Passion
  3. Instruments that tortured or killed a martyr.
  4. Pieces of the body of a saint
Second Class Relics:
  1. Something the saint used during his/her lifetime
  2. Pieces of the original coffin or other sepulture of the saint
Third Class Relic:
  1. Anything touched to a First, Second, or other Third Class Relic (including cloths, flowers, and the like)
  2. Something from a holy site–pebbles, floor sweepings (honest!).
This pebble from Golgotha would therefore be a Third Class relic.

If you can tell me where you got this crucifix, I’d LOVE to have one. Can you tell me?
 
cluny said:
first class relics:
  1. Relics of the true cross
  2. Instruments of the passion
  3. Instruments that tortured or killed a martyr.
  4. Pieces of the body of a saint
second class relics:
  1. Something the saint used during his/her lifetime
  2. Pieces of the original coffin or other sepulture of the saint
third class relic:
  1. Anything touched to a first, second, or other third class relic (including cloths, flowers, and the like)
  2. Something from a holy site–pebbles, floor sweepings (honest!).
This pebble from golgotha would therefore be a third class relic.

If you can tell me where you got this crucifix, i’d love to have one. Can you tell me?
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our lady of the snows missionary oblates
 
Jason_1977 said:
I have a crucifix made of olivewood from the holyland, & at the base of the crucifix is a pebble from the hill Jesus was crucified. Someone told me that pebble is a 1st class relic based on its instrumentation in the passion, is there any truth to this? Is it a 1st class relic? Open to any thoughts…thanks!!!
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It is not a relic of any class.

By the way it is forbidden to buy/sell real relics (whatever the class).

Canon Law:

Can. 1190 §1. It is absolutely forbidden to sell sacred relics.
 
thistle said:
It is not a relic of any class.

By the way it is forbidden to buy/sell real relics (whatever the class).

Canon Law:

Can. 1190 §1. It is absolutely forbidden to sell sacred relics.
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The containers in that hold the relics are what’s sold. The relic just goes along for the ride.
 
thistle said:
It is not a relic of any class.

By the way it is forbidden to buy/sell real relics (whatever the class).

Canon Law:

Can. 1190 §1. It is absolutely forbidden to sell sacred relics.
Click to expand...
Would a Rosary blessed by soon to be St John Paul II be considered a relic???
 
ODGarza said:
Would a Rosary blessed by soon to be St John Paul II be considered a relic???
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I asked this about a replica of the papal crucifix that I have which was blessed by Bl John Paul II, in another thread. Didn’t get an answer though, for that matter.

And since we are on the subject; I have a medal of St Francis which contains soil from his tomb. I also have a splinter of wood from the altar of the chapel in Tuy, Spain, where Lucy had the famous vision of Our Crucified Lord suspended over the altar, with the Father and Spirit above, Our Lady of Fatima to the Right of Our Lord, and the words Graces and Mercy flowing downward from Our Lord’s Body. HERE.

I received this as a Thank You gift for being the Parish Coordinator for my parish’s Mary 2000 Family Consecration program created in response to the Holy Father’s calling for 3 years of preparation before the new millennium, in which families and households were asked to consecrate themselves to Our Lady of Fatima. The sisters at Tuy, had saved the pieces of wood from the redesign of the original altar post Vatican II. They were given to the International Mary 2000 coordinators in the Philippines. Volunteers broke them into splinters, and each Parish Coordinator received a Holy Card with a picture of the vision and the splinter of wood attached. Truly a wonderful spiritual treasure. But is it a relic?
 
ClayPots47 said:
I asked this about a replica of the papal crucifix that I have which was blessed by Bl John Paul II, in another thread. Didn’t get an answer though, for that matter.

And since we are on the subject; I have a medal of St Francis which contains soil from his tomb. I also have a splinter of wood from the altar of the chapel in Tuy, Spain, where Lucy had the famous vision of Our Crucified Lord suspended over the altar, with the Father and Spirit above, Our Lady of Fatima to the Right of Our Lord, and the words Graces and Mercy flowing downward from Our Lord’s Body. HERE.

I received this as a Thank You gift for being the Parish Coordinator for my parish’s Mary 2000 Family Consecration program created in response to the Holy Father’s calling for 3 years of preparation before the new millennium, in which families and households were asked to consecrate themselves to Our Lady of Fatima. The sisters at Tuy, had saved the pieces of wood from the redesign of the original altar post Vatican II. They were given to the International Mary 2000 coordinators in the Philippines. Volunteers broke them into splinters, and each Parish Coordinator received a Holy Card with a picture of the vision and the splinter of wood attached. Truly a wonderful spirituae il treasure. But is it a relic?
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That splinter of wood wouldn’t be considered a relic , but its still a blessing to have it in my opinion.
 
thistle said:
Yeah. Right. As if anyone would believe that!
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Actually, that fits in exactly with Catholic theology.

A craftsman, like any other person, is entitled to his pay for the work. The reliquary itself, therefore has material value.

It is therefore permissiable for a seller to recoup the value of the reliquary. But the cost of the reliquary must not be greater than that of a similar piece of work.

For example. Let’s say that I made two identical rosaries. One was touched to a relic of a saint. It is now a third class relic.

That does not mean that I would not be entitled to the recompense for that materials used and the work put into creating the rosary.

What it means is that I could not charge any more for the rosary that is now a third class relic than I would for the rosaries identical twin.
 
If a 2nd class relic is on a prayer card and it’s covered by clear plastic, would something you touch to it be a 3rd class relic? I wasn’t sure if it had to touch the uncovered fabric or not.
 
I was also wondering, if a reliquary has a first class relic inside, doesn’t that make the reliquary a 2nd class relic?
 
I believe that all First Relics have papers that trace their authenticity. Correct me guys if I am wrong.

God Bless.
 
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