Questions tagged [relics]
A part of a deceased person's body or belongings who was regarded as holy(saint), kept as an object of reverence
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Sts. Mary & Joseph's house = Sts. Joachim & Anna's house?
Is the House of Loreto (originally in Nazareth, but later miraculously transported to Loreto, Italy) Sts. Mary & Joseph's house or Sts. Joachim & Anna's, or was it both of theirs?
Did St. ...
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If Orthodox is the true Church, why do Catholics have (apparently) genuine relics?
Roman Catholics claim to have any number of relics which are significant to the Christian faith, of which the Shroud of Turin is probably the best known. There also seem to be some strong arguments ...
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My relic has lost its red protection
I was recently gifted a medal with an ex indumentis relic. Now, the red protection has been lost and I'm not sure if the white in my medal is the relic itself or some base... How are medal relics made?...
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What happened to Jesus' clothes?
Are there any legends about what happened to Jesus's clothes after they were distributed? Any legends about the people that received them?
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Would this book be considered a relic of S.D. John A. Hardon, S.J.?
According to the 1980 edition of Modern Catholic Dictionary by S.D. John A. Hardon, S.J., a relic is defined as follows:
An object connected with a saint, e.g., part of the body or clothing or ...
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What evidence do we have for the existence of venerated relics from the Old Testament (besides the Ark of the Covenant)?
It's not hard to understand why the New Testament might resonate more strongly for the cultivation of relics than the Old Testament over the centuries of the Church's history. To name a few:
The Holy ...
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Can my third class relic make other items into third class relics?
I have a third class relic from Blessed Carlo Acutis. If I touch that item to another item, does that item become a third class relic also?
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Evidence for the authenticity of relics relics such as the True Cross? [duplicate]
I'm wondering if there is any evidence for the authenticity of various relics such as pieces of the "true cross".
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Does the Russian Orthodox Church recognize Adolf Hitler as a Saint?
So, I recently found out about how the Main Cathedral of the Armed Forces in Russia maintains a section containing Adolf Hitler's hat and uniform as relics within a wing of its building. Since it's my ...
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Five related questions regarding the relics which consecrate Roman Catholic altars?
The altars in Roman Catholic churches must be consecrated with a saint's relic (preferably a martyred saint). These "relics" are body parts, usually a small bone fragment but sometimes what ...
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Why do the Catholics and Orthodox keep relics and bone fragments? Isn't this disrespect for the body?
In Orthodoxy, cremation after death is not permitted. It is not preferred in Catholicism. This is because of the strong respect for the integrity of the body. Both traditions are also strongly pro-...
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Possible relic found?
It might be "1st" class; a 3" high metal cross with a flat round container of a liquid at cross beam This has some lettering surrounding it. A male figure in "bibical dress" holding a tablet(?) is on ...
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Is partaking of the Holy Eucharist the key to incorruptibility of the saints?
The Incorruptibles by Joan Caroll Cruz has many stories about incorruptible saints.
These saints with incorruptible bodies are Catholic, and I never heard any Protestant, other non-Catholic ...
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Was the Gathering Relics of Holy Men in 1st Century common in the Early Church?
I am hoping to understand or know if Jesus' apostles would have had gathering relics of something like the crucifixion in mind at some point when it as still possible to locate them (ex: the true ...
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According to Catholicism, how can a relic help a sick person?
I took several holy cards to view and touch relics of the saints. Now do I keep the relic and pray for someone or give it to the person so that he/she can pray for healing?
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In Catholicism, is an object a third-class relic if touched by a saint when they were alive?
So, I know that a piece of a saint's body counts as first-class relic. And I know that third-class relics can be created by touching them to a first-class relic. But usually people only talk about ...
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Are relics only considered first class if they were collected from a Saint's dead body?
I was seemingly corrected that St. Maximillian has no first class relics since some of his hairs apparently were found (collected prior to his death). Would these be first class relics or second ...
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What is the biblical basis for relics?
In Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy, relics are typically objects that were either parts of the bodies of saints (e.g. fragments of bone) or are associated with their lives (e.g. clothing). Many ...
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Do we know the fates of any of the implausible relics Martin Luther described?
Martin Luther described a number of extraordinary relics that his contemporaries are said to have.
“Certain men have impudently boasted that they possess a feather from the holy angel St. Michael. ...
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Why are relics that can perform miracles not idols?
In reviewing the idol vs. icon issue, the top answer to What is the difference between icons and idols in churches that permit icons? defines an idol as "something worshipped as divine under the ...
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Relics of Noah's Ark?
Do any Catholic or Orthodox churches claim to have relics of Noah's Ark? (As one might have a piece of the True Cross, for example.)
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Need help identifying a relic
I inherited a relic that says S. Margar. vid, has wax seal and thread intact and above seal a number and date 1949 written. I have been told this is St. Margaret of Scotland, do you agree and what ...
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Did the Council of Trent define rules for encasing Relics?
I was wondering if the Council of Trent laid out the rubrics for encasing 1st class relics? The info is important to because I have a very old locket with possible relics and the remnants of a wax ...
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Why is incorruptibility of saints' relics used as proof of their sanctity?
Why is the notion of incorruptibility advanced by some Catholics and some Orthodox when determining the corruptibility or incorruptibility of a saint's relics has never been a part of the ...
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What happened to the sandals of Jesus?
Did anyone keep the sandals of Jesus that He had worn during His Mission on earth, after His crucifixion ? Is there any Christian group, in any part of the world, that venerates the sandals of Jesus, ...
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What explanation did the Catholic Church give regarding the incorruptible bodies? [closed]
We all have heard about the incorruptible bodies within the Catholic Church tradition.
Was there any scientific explanation given to the Roman Catholic Church or did the Church give a scientific ...
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Where are the Mormon "relics"?
There were several Sacred items that were buried with the Plates of Gold by the prophet Moroni:
"Having removed the earth, I obtained a lever, which I got fixed under
the edge of the stone, and ...
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How are first-grade relics prepared?
Is there a formal practice to the preparation of first-grade relics? How are the remains of a saint divided? Is there a method of preservation involved? Is there now an authority in charge of ...
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How do Protestants explain the incorruptibility of Catholic and Orthodox saints?
As far as I know, there is a vast body of evidence of incorruptibility of some saints in Catholic and Orthodox Churches. Here is a picture of the incorruptible relic of St. Aleksandr Svirskij from ...
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What is the evidence that the bones found under St. Peter's Basilica are actually St. Peter's bones?
There were some bone fragments found under St. Peter's Basilica in the 1940's. Pope Paul VI said in 1968 that the bones were "identified in a way that we can consider convincing." What is the ...
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Do holy relics lose power over time?
Do holy relics lose power over time? It seems as if holy relics account for fewer miracles than in times past. The handkerchiefs of Paul had incredible power to heal (Acts 19: 12). Today one seldom ...
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How did Luther view relics, like the 'preserved head of John the Baptist'?
According to wiki
Roman Catholic tradition holds that the head on display in San Silvestro in Capite in Rome is that of John the Baptist, discovered for the second time, as also maintained by Pope ...
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What were the circumstances behind the loss of the "True Cross?"
It is my understanding that there was a relic, used by the Crusaders, that was claimed to be the very Cross on which Jesus was crucified. I also understand that sometime around 1187, it was captured ...
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How does the Catholic Church identify and collect relics?
I have been told that all major Catholic churches contain within the altar a relic of a saint. Given that saints are not declared until long after the death of the person in question, and many saints ...
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