What's the deal with relics?

[carol_marie]

Last Sunday in RCIA class we learned about the three types of relics. I have so many questions and we ran out of time. Why would someone want the bones of a Saint? That sounds so creepy. Also, why would we want something that the Saint touched? An example was a small piece of wood (I think?) that touched some Saint. What’s up with that? What are they for? It sounds so “good luck charmish” to me. Please explain.

Thank you,
CM

 

[Carthusian]

I believe that their is an intrinsic desire that transcends religious and other cultural boundaries to become closer to those we honor and desire to emulate. When a person is removed from us through distance and time, we try to gaina sense of closeness by resorting to relics. Some ‘relics’ may be their own writings and in modern times photographs and recordings as well.
Though the mystical value of relics may be traced back to Jesus and the story of the woman who was healed after touching His grament, it must be remembered that Jesus said her faith healed her. Thus the garment was not a factor. Anyone who has their faith in the right place, recognizes that faith in the Holy Spirit is the real force behind any positive results from exposure to relics. This power of the Holy Spirit is a grace, a response to the faith of the person who aspires to be close to others who love and have great faith in God.

 

[ProudArmyWife]

I’m a convert, too, and still don’t understand the bone thing. Especially since Catholic faith is for burial and “full body” cremation (not spread of ashes) but we don’t do this for these saints. Perhaps someone can spread some light on this for me too!

 

[CARose]

I don’t know that it’s very easy to “explain” relics, beyond what Carthusian has already shared, that it goes to the story of Jesus and the woman who had such faith that he could cure her, that she merely reached out to touch his garment, knowing that alone was sufficient. Her faith was sufficient, as scripture tells us.

Throughout His life, Christ shared with us that Matter is good, as God said at creation. He shares His Graces with us using Matter in conferring each of the sacraments. It is in the same manner that Relics play a role in the Catholic Church. It is in our communion with the Saints that we desire to know them better through whatever means we can. It’s an amazing Faith thing that we can ask our friends, who have gone before us, and who have done an excellent job of making great decisions as evidenced by their Sainthood, to intercede for us. While our prayers are limited to our sleeping hours, our friends the Saints can pray unceasingly, something us mere mortals can’t do.

Also, when we have a relic, it tends to spark a curiosity to know more about the saint from which it came. Learning about their lives gives us information on how one leads a Holy life. And the funny thing is, once you start learning about one saint, you are typically led to want to know about your other family members who have gone before you.

God provided us with a wonderful family of examples who are uniquely qualified to help us through our lives, the Saints who have gone before us.

I hope this helps.

Oh, and yes, every so often I think about it from the creep factor perspective. But most of the time, I’m so focused on the beauty of what Christ has given us in His wonderful examples of Holiness, I forget all about “creep”. Pray to the Holy Spirit for enlightenment.

CARose

 

[WanderAimlessly]

ProudArmyWife:

I’m a convert, too, and still don’t understand the bone thing. Especially since Catholic faith is for burial and “full body” cremation (not spread of ashes) but we don’t do this for these saints. Perhaps someone can spread some light on this for me too!

Relics do not have to be necessarily bones of a Saint. It could be a piece of clothing or some other item (i.e. hair).

I know that there are relics of Saint Gianna Beretta Molla that were being displayed in various parishes of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia that consisted on a pair of gloves and other pieces of clothing. I have also heard of a couple of possible miracles of people who touched these articles.

As for me, I have no desire to own a relic and am somewhat uncomfortable around them. We had a discussion group at my former parish on St Therese and the Deacon (now a Priest) who conducted the group discussions brought in some first class relics (i.e. bones) of some Saints. I got a eerie felling just touching the cases that the relics were in

PF

 

[mtr01]

Just an interesting tid-bit for those who did not know, but every single Catholic Church contains a relic. Specifically, when an altar id dedicated, it must have a relic near it. Usually, they are inside the altar (as in my parish) or buried under it. The CIC Canon 1237 states:

§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.

I guess the prescribed liturgical book would be the GIRM:

1. The practice of placing relics of Saints, even those not Martyrs, under the altar to be dedicated is fittingly retained. Care should be taken, however, to ensure the authenticity of such relics.

So I guess either in or under is acceptable. It seems to me that this is somehow related to the fact that the first Masses were held in catacombs, many time over Martyrs’ graves. My speculation is that’s how this tradition got started (then again, I could be completely wrong…I’m just guessing )

For the record, I had never heard of the Saint whose relics we have at my parish (I do know it was a woman, but I can’t remember her name). I’ll have to ask again.

 

[Coptic]

One thing to note on the topic of relics…

Remember the story in Kings about the man who was buried in the same tomb as Elisha, and what happened when his body touched Elisha’s bones:

2 Kings 13:21
So it was, as they were burying a man, that suddenly they spied a band of raiders; and they put the man in the tomb of Elisha; and when the man was let down and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived and stood on his feet.

God Bless,
Elizabeth

 

[Bill_A]

Why would a person want another saints bones? I do not know. If I was a Saint and incoruptable. I would want to be burried with all my parts intact for judgment day.

Why do people collect relics. Because its cool. 2nd and third class relics are a sign of faith. They are the signs of faith of a saint that lived and the call to actions of Gods grace by faith in him. Pososestion of these relics can call us by faith to receive Gods Grace. This is why churchs also keep holy relics.

 

[puzzleannie]

read in Acts where the faithful waited to touch Peter or Paul or one of the other apostles hoping for a cure, and where even a handkerchief of Peter’s was able to cure the sick. The first Eucharistic celebrations in the catacombs were over the tombs of martyrs, and the first churches were built over the graves of martyrs and other saints. When the number of churches outpaced the number of saintly tombs, relics (pieces of bone or clothing that had been worn by the saint) came to be sealed in the altar stone for the same reason: so that the saint or martyr would interecede for the Church members, especially for healing, and so that their saintly and heroic actions would be a model for all. there are thousands of cases, even in modern times, of healings effected by touching the sick person with a relic and asking the saint to intercede on their behalf.

 

[jimmy]

puzzleannie:

read in Acts where the faithful waited to touch Peter or Paul or one of the other apostles hoping for a cure, and where even a handkerchief of Peter’s was able to cure the sick. The first Eucharistic celebrations in the catacombs were over the tombs of martyrs, and the first churches were built over the graves of martyrs and other saints. When the number of churches outpaced the number of saintly tombs, relics (pieces of bone or clothing that had been worn by the saint) came to be sealed in the altar stone for the same reason: so that the saint or martyr would interecede for the Church members, especially for healing, and so that their saintly and heroic actions would be a model for all. there are thousands of cases, even in modern times, of healings effected by touching the sick person with a relic and asking the saint to intercede on their behalf.

They didn’t only wish to touch something that the apostles touched they just wanted the shadow of Peter to pass over them.

 

[mercygate]

Coptic:

One thing to note on the topic of relics…

Remember the story in Kings about the man who was buried in the same tomb as Elisha, and what happened when his body touched Elisha’s bones:

2 Kings 13:21
So it was, as they were burying a man, that suddenly they spied a band of raiders; and they put the man in the tomb of Elisha; and when the man was let down and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived and stood on his feet.

God Bless,
Elizabeth

A few more scriptural references to holy bones:

Exodus 12:19: And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him; for Joseph had solemnly sworn the people of Israel, saying, “God will visit you; then you must carry my bones with you from here.”

Joshua 24:32: The bones of Joseph which the people of Israel brought up from Egypt were buried at Shechem, in the portion of ground which Jacob bought from the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for a hundred pieces of money; it became an inheritance of the descendants of Joseph.

**Sirach 49:15: **And no man like Joseph has been born, and hisbones are cared for.

From the martyrdom of St. Polycarp: The centurion . . . set him in the midst and burnt him after their custom. And so we afterwards took up his bones which are more valuable than precious stones and finer than refined gold, and laid them in a suitable place; where the Lord will permit us to gather ourselves together, as we are able, in gladness and joy, and to celebrate the birth-day of his martyrdom for the commemoration of those that have already fought in the contest, and for the training and preparation of those that shall do so hereafter.

 

[jimmy]

mtr01:

Just an interesting tid-bit for those who did not know, but every single Catholic Church contains a relic. Specifically, when an altar id dedicated, it must have a relic near it. Usually, they are inside the altar (as in my parish) or buried under it. The CIC Canon 1237 states:

I guess the prescribed liturgical book would be the GIRM:

So I guess either in or under is acceptable. It seems to me that this is somehow related to the fact that the first Masses were held in catacombs, many time over Martyrs’ graves. My speculation is that’s how this tradition got started (then again, I could be completely wrong…I’m just guessing )

For the record, I had never heard of the Saint whose relics we have at my parish (I do know it was a woman, but I can’t remember her name). I’ll have to ask again.

I am pretty sure you are correct about the catecombs. I heard it from a Byzantine preist that each Byzantine Church had relics in the altar. I did not know it applied to the Latin rite also.

 

[carol_marie]

Thank you! Just when I think that I’ve stumbled upon some part of the Catholic Faith that has NO scriptural basis whatsoever, you win again!

God Bless,
CM