Relics Question

[ClemtheCatholic]

I received this question from someone I know:

“I know that a piece of fabric touched to either a second or first class relic is considered a 3rd class relic but about is something that is touched to the tomb of a saint? I know that somthing can only become a relic if touched to either a 2nd or 1st and it has to be used for the intent of, of… I can’t think of the word. Devotion I guess. So would like the lance that pireced Jesus side be considered a relic? Or a piece of fabric touched to his tomb?”

Any ideas?

Thanks very much!
ClemtheCatholic

 

[theyoungmonk]

Relics of Our Lord and Our Lady are different from other relics. Those relics normally considered 2nd class such as the lance, the crown of thorns etc are actually 1st Class Relics of Our Lord. Anything touched to the Holy Sepulchre would be a third Class Relic as that sepulchre itself is a 1st Class relic. Now with the tombs of saints it gets more difficult though things like coffin wood are considered as 2nd class relics so … I would say if you touched something to the tomb of a saint where the body is still within (the actual sarcophagus or similar) then you would most likely succeed in getting a 3rd class relic. Touching something to a theca works but if there is a double barrier it may not…

 

[ClemtheCatholic]

Thanks very much!!

 

[CatholicLife]

It is perfectly acceptable to touch devotional items to tombs of the saints . The early saints would put cloth by the tombs of the saints I forgot where I read that though .

 

[Reborn2013]

Relics of Our Lord and Our Lady are different from other relics. Those relics normally considered 2nd class such as the lance, the crown of thorns etc are actually 1st Class Relics of Our Lord. Anything touched to the Holy Sepulchre would be a third Class Relic as that sepulchre itself is a 1st Class relic. Now with the tombs of saints it gets more difficult though things like coffin wood are considered as 2nd class relics so … I would say if you touched something to the tomb of a saint where the body is still within (the actual sarcophagus or similar) then you would most likely succeed in getting a 3rd class relic. Touching something to a theca works but if there is a double barrier it may not…

If you actually saw the Holy Sephulchure it would be obvious to you that was not the actual structure that the lord’s body was placed in. How can that be a first class relic? Not buying it.

 

[Filioque]

With regard to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, we see today the Aedicule which was built over the site of the tomb. If one enters it, they come to the actual site of His burial, over which an altar is constructed. The mesa of the altar is on colums so one can venerate, and touch or kiss the actual burial site. Normally those relics touched to the Holy Sepulchre are not touched to the structure build around and over the tomb, but the actual slab of rock which Christians in Jerusalem told St. Helena they had always held the site to be.