Where/how does one get a relic?

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Relics are not supposed to be bought and sold, so one comes by them properly as a gift, or by visiting first-class relics in your travels and touching them with something of your own., e.g., a rosary.
 
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urquhart:
Relics are not supposed to be bought and sold, so one comes by them properly as a gift, or by visiting first-class relics in your travels and touching them with something of your own., e.g., a rosary.
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Yes, note that I did not ask where does one buy a relic. Thanks for the info.

Scott
 
There are some groups that work toward the beatification of a person or in hopes the proving someone a saint, and they will send relics out on request. They hope that along with prayer, a miracle will result that will further their case. In this case, the item would become a “relic” when the person was given sainthood.

cheddar
 
I have a prayer card with a 3rd class relic of Fr Michael J McGivney, whose cause is being promoted by the Knights of Columbus. Also a prayer card with a 3rd class relic of St Pio, picked up from a church in Italy.

Several years ago I bought a reliquary while visiting the shrine of St Elizabeth Ann Seton in Emmitsburg MD (the enclosed 1st class relic was free).

tee
 
I obtained a Relic of the True Cross from a church closing down in the Archdiocese of Utrecht, Holland.

The Relic has the correct, intact seals, but no ‘paperwork’, which prevents it from being used in public veneration.

I came across that via my then pastor, who had such a relic and put me in touch with the archdiocese in Holland.

I don’t know how he came across the information.

It did involve a donation for the value of the included reliquary.
 
Third class relics are fairly easy to obtain. Second, and expecially First, class relics are a different story, however.
 
Sir Knight:
Third class relics are fairly easy to obtain. Second, and expecially First, class relics are a different story, however.
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Could you explain what the classes of relics mean?
 
1st - body part and/or i think clothing
2nd - belonging of a saint
3rd - object touched to higher class relic
 
The largest collection of saint relics outside of the Vatican is at St. Anthony Chapel in Pittsburgh, PA. . Sorry these are not for sale but you can see them.
ichrusa.com/saintsalive/anthony.htm

If you ever visit you can stay at St. Paul of the Cross Monastery. catholic-church.org/stpaulsmonastery/

There you may find oil blessed by St. Gabriel of Possenti possentisociety.com/

Don’t just go for St. Gabriel’s oil. Read about him in this book. What a beautiful saint!
crossplace.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=PP&Product_Code=114&Category_Code=SGP
 
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Genesis315:
Could you explain what the classes of relics mean?
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First Class relics are pieces of bone, hair, tissue etc of the saint. Also included in this class are pieces of the True Cross, the nails, etc that were used to crucify the Lord.

Second Class relics are items of clothing, and some materials that the saint was in full contact with. Items may include pieces of the missal the saint prayed from, or the gloves that St Gianna wore. etc.

Third Class relics are items that were touched to the above. In many cases, you can obtain pieces of cloth touched to a 1st class relic.

For the last 20 years or more, the most common procedure for obtaining a 1st class relic was to have a letter of “recommendation” from your bishop. You could present this at one of the very few sites in Europe (monasteries like the Augustinian Monastery in Rome) designated by the Vatican to dispense relics. The nuns (usually) are responsible for placing the relic, a small fragment of bone for instance, into a theca - the small gold or silver case with a crystal front, and a red wax seal securing the back. The wax is stamped with the seal of the order providing the relic, and a certificate of authenticity is/should be made available.

Relics of saints (Carmelites for example) are sometimes available from the Carmelites directly … though for the last few years, no requests from the common-folk are accepted.

There are other sources. In one case a “rebel” Redemptorist Postular Genere/, knowing that the availability of relics was about to become very tough/strict, acquired a very large supply of relics (over 40,000), and spent nearly the last year of his life signing the certificates. Needless to say, he is not well thought of at the Augustinian Monastery which he “raided”.:nope:

Are they all real? Don’t know. Those of more recent saints have a shorter and more traceable history. Those of the early saints, well,… I treat mine as reminders of those who have gone before us. The early church was very active in securing relics (even fighting over them). So active, that one wonders why they had none of the Blessed Mother… guess there were none cuz she was assumed into Heaven:yup: :yup:
 
Just imagine if JP2 is made a saint and his Barber kept all of his hair for the past quarter of a century while he was Pope – that would sure be an awful lot of first class relics since each hair could be cut into extremely small pieces just fractions of an inch in length.
 
My dad has a piece of the true cross, apparently. There is no way to check its authenticity, it is sealed and he wears it round his neck, no paperwork or anything. Does anyone know of how there is proof that the true cross relics are actually from the true cross, and not just from a log in the wood.
 
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MrS:
. So active, that one wonders why they had none of the Blessed Mother… guess there were none cuz she was assumed into Heaven:yup: :yup:
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I think you mean 1st Class relics, 😉 there is an Orthodox monestary (I can’t remember where) that has a reminant of her cincture (the belt) of Mary. It was the only article of clothing left after the Assumption.
 
Sir_Knight said:
Third class relics are fairly easy to obtain. Second, and expecially First, class relics are a different story, however.
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Actually, I have 12+ first class relics, I obtained them easily by sending e-mails to different Postulators, some readily accepted, some did not.
 
buying relics is a great sin. its called simony. and God will punish those who buy and sell them. buying reliquaries with saying that the relic enclosed was free is still simony in disguise. vatican disapproved ebay for selling relics
 
Magicsilence said:
My dad has a piece of the true cross, apparently. There is no way to check its authenticity, it is sealed and he wears it round his neck, no paperwork or anything. Does anyone know of how there is proof that the true cross relics are actually from the true cross, and not just from a log in the wood.
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How to prove it? By the miracles.
 
I’m so sad for all the people who’ve wasted thousands of money to buy a small relic card of Pope John Paul II on ebay even it is free at the postulator of his cause. Actually, I have 6 of them, distributed to the faithful for free. I did not pay the relics. (even you could send a donation to cover the expenses) the people should stop bidding money to ebay for a sacred thing that can be obtained free.
How sad…:nope:
 
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