Relics?

[cthulhubryan]

I was listening to a CD by Fr Larry Richards and he talks about since early Catholics said mass in the catacombs on the bones of the saints that now every Catholic church has relics in the altar.

Is this true? If so, how do you know what/whose the relic is?

 

[DawnInTexas]

I was listening to a CD by Fr Larry Richards and he talks about since early Catholics said mass in the catacombs on the bones of the saints that now every Catholic church has relics in the altar.

Is this true? If so, how do you know what/whose the relic is?

It used to be all altars in the Churches had 1st Class Relics. And the paperwork to go with them. All the Churches I’ve belonged to have lost the paperwork, lol! They’re not sure who and what is there, but it’s been a piece of marble, with little nitches cut out. The Relics are then kind-of cemented in.

With the exception of a couple I have seen (abroad-across the pond ) where a sliver of the True Cross is Entombed in the front of the Altar.

Ask the Priest when you go into a Church.

You may notice, when they kiss the Altar-I have seen Priests lift the cloth first, kiss, then lay it back flat.

God Bless.
+Peace Be With You.

 

[cthulhubryan]

It used to be all altars in the Churches had 1st Class Relics. And the paperwork to go with them. All the Churches I’ve belonged to have lost the paperwork, lol! They’re not sure who and what is there, but it’s been a piece of marble, with little nitches cut out. The Relics are then kind-of cemented in.

With the exception of a couple I have seen (abroad-across the pond ) where a sliver of the True Cross is Entombed in the front of the Altar.

Ask the Priest when you go into a Church.

You may notice, when they kiss the Altar-I have seen Priests lift the cloth first, kiss, then lay it back flat.

God Bless.
+Peace Be With You.

Thank you ma’am. Next question is what is a 1st class relic and are there 2nd and 3rd class relics?

 

[PhilotheaZ]

Thank you ma’am. Next question is what is a 1st class relic and are there 2nd and 3rd class relics?

1st class — part of the saint’s body (often a bone fragment)
2nd class — something the saint has used, clothing, etc.
3rd class — something that has touched a 1st or 2nd class relic

 

[cthulhubryan]

1st class — part of the saint’s body (often a bone fragment)
2nd class — something the saint has used, clothing, etc.
3rd class — something that has touched a 1st or 2nd class relic

Thanks! I appreciate the explanations.

 

[japhy]

Here is my response from another thread from last July:

I’m not entirely sure all Catholic altars do have relics nowadays, especially the ones that are constructed of wood and made to look similar to normal tables. However, Vatican II never said anything about doing away with the tradition.

Here are two sources of information about altars and relics: GIRM 298-302 and CIC 1235-1237. I’ve snipped out information that is irrelevant to the matter at hand:
GIRM 298. It is appropriate to have a fixed altar in every church … An altar is called **“fixed” if it is attached to the floor **so as not to be removeable; otherwise it is called "moveable."

GIRM 300. An altar whether fixed or movable is dedicated according to the rite prescribed in the Roman Pontifical; but it is permissible for a movable altar simply to be blessed.

GIRM 302. The practice of placing relics of Saints, even those not Martyrs, under the altar to be dedicated is fittingly retained.

Can. 1235 §1 The altar or table on which the eucharistic Sacrifice is celebrated is termed fixed if it is so constructed that it is attached to the floor and therefore cannot be moved; it is termed movable, if it can be removed.

§2 It is proper that in every church there should be a fixed altar. …

Can. 1237 §1 Fixed altars are to be dedicated, movable ones either dedicated or blessed, according to the rites prescribed in the liturgical books.

§2 The ancient tradition of placing relics of Martyrs or of other Saints within a fixed altar is to be retained, in accordance with the rites prescribed in the liturgical books.
So, long story short: it is “proper” and “appropriate” for every church to have a fixed altar, and fixed altars “are to be dedicated” (while moveable altars can simply be blessed), and the tradition of placing relics in the altar to be dedicated “is to be retained”.

My parish doesn’t have a fixed altar (as far as I know), though, so “proper” might be one of those loosey-goosey words. I would hope, though, that every fixed altar really does contain relics, since the tradition of doing so “is to be retained”.

 

[FrDavid96]

Here is my response from another thread from last July:

Just a slight tweak: the current discipline calls for the relics to be “under” the altar, while in the past, the relics were placed “in” the altar. Of course, if they’re already “in” the altar, they should be left there.

There was another similar thread about this a few months ago.

 

[mystified]

Military chaplains used to have an antemensum(sp), coloquially called a #folding altar stone". It was a cloth into which releics were sewn, and an inscription atesting to authenticity was written on the cloth by an appropriate prelate. The one used by the priest for whom I was the assigned assistant was incribed in Greek, so I had no clue as to what it said. I considered it an honor to carry it from safekeeping and place it on the interdenominationa altar in our military chapel.
This useage, I was told, was borrowed from Eastern Catholic rites.

 

[Aramis]

Military chaplains used to have an antemensum(sp), coloquially called a #folding altar stone". It was a cloth into which releics were sewn, and an inscription atesting to authenticity was written on the cloth by an appropriate prelate. The one used by the priest for whom I was the assigned assistant was incribed in Greek, so I had no clue as to what it said. I considered it an honor to carry it from safekeeping and place it on the interdenominationa altar in our military chapel.
This useage, I was told, was borrowed from Eastern Catholic rites.

Antimension is the typical english spelling.

They are absolutely required for a Byzantine Rite priest (other than a bishop) to say the divine liturgy; their use for Roman Rite chaplains is an economia*, welcomed by chaplains due to lugging stone portable altars around during WWII. The inscription is a written permission for the priest to say the liturgy, signed by the bishop!

I’ve known a couple non-military priests who have them as well; one, a dominican, was an avid skier & hiker, who would go mountain-crossing… the other a diocesan priest, who loved hiking and lead youth retreat-hikes.