Reliquary

At St. Bernadette, we are blessed to participate in this powerful connection to the Communion of Saints with our parish reliquary (the repository for relics). Our reliquary is located on the back wall of our St. Bernadette Adoration Chapel. The relics of the saints are included in our reliquary. Please stop by the reliquary for a closer look at these sacramentals!

What is a Relic?

The word “relic” comes from the Latin word, relinquo, which means, “I leave” or “I relinquish.” Relics are part of the body of a saint (first-class), a thing used or owned by a saint (second-class), or an item that has been touched to the grave of a saint (third-class). They are literally things that they person “relinquished” or “left behind” after they died and entered the Communion of Saints in Heaven. A relic is deserving of special veneration and honor, because of the meritorious and admirable life lived by the person from which it originates.

When did the Church begin Venerating Relics?

“The veneration of relics is seen explicitly as early as the account of Polycarp’s martyrdom written by the Smyrnaeans in A.D. 156. In it, the Christians describe the events following his burning at the stake:

‘We 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 birthday of his martyrdom.’”

Are Relics “Magical?”

Relics are not magical. They are sacramentals. A sacramental is an object that leads us to receive and respond to God’s grace; they do not impart God’s grace. Relics in and of themselves do not hold any grace or “power.” However, God may choose to impart miracles through these objects. We can see some of these instances in Scripture: raising a man from the dead through the use of Elisha’s bones (2 Kgs. 13:20-21), the healing of the hemorrhaging woman after she touched the hem of Christ’s cloak (Matt. 9:20-22), healing of the sick after Peter’s shadow passed over them (Acts 5:14-16), and healings and exorcisms occurring through the handkerchiefs of Paul (Acts 19:11-12). Again, it is not these objects that have done miraculous things, but God himself has done his work through these mediums.