Verifying relics

[JayCL]

Sometimes, at my parish at least, folks will bring in and leave on the back table in the lobby little medals, holy cards, and sometimes medals of saints with a little piece of cloth that’s said to be a relic (of St Padre Pio, etc). How does one ascertain the veracity of things like that? I don’t really suppose there’s any way to do that, is there?

 

[Cor_ad_Cor]

If the person presents it for others in church, I’m not sure why there would need to be a doubt or a verification either way.

 

[Irishmom2]

@JayCL, you may be interested in this thread.

An Item Which Touched in a 3rd Class Relic Spirituality

Relics are not to be sold. You might find this link of interest.

 

[Anesti33]

What is your pastor’s policy? In my parish, the office has a treasure box accumulated to overflowing with holy cards, rosaries, and other holy trinkets. We give them to children when they visit.

People get this stuff all the time, and much of it is mailed to them unsolicited. Even relics and medals and rosaries, from charities that want you to proffer a donation to cover the price of the item they already sent. Anyway, the parishioners think that the church narthex is a good place to pawn these off. It is not. It is all worthless junk, and it doesn’t fit in the treasure box anymore. I throw it out. At least most of them learned not to photocopy those superstitious “chain novenas”.

The authenticity of an alleged 3rd-class relic, with no provenance and no certificate, is nil. There would be no verification and it is not worth anyone’s time.