Rachel Talks Relics

Hello, lovely Summer campers! This little article is a quick primer on Relics, what they are, and how they are typically categorized and enshrined. Quick disclaimer that this is from the perspective of a Catholic and so all examples will be from the Catholic faith.  

What is a Relic?

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The Word 'relic' derives from the latin word Reliquae, meaning 'remains'. While the veneration of relics of the deceased is by no means exclusive to the Catholic church, most examples a modern person would give would probably point in the direction of the Catholic faith. Relics, therefore, are the remains of a person or people who hold a particular place of honor, usually in a religious context.   Within the context of the Catholic church, relics are either items related to Jesus Christ and his ministry, The Apostles, or one of the endless numbers of Saints who have lived in the church's 2000+ year history. Relics of Saints or the apostles are not revered in the same way Relics of the Christ are; they are not worshiping the saint themselves.  

We do not Worship, we do not adore for fear that we should bown down to the creature rather than the Creator, but we venerate the relics of the martyrs in order to better adore Him whose martyrs they are.

— ~St. Jerome, 4th Century priest

  Relics are usually held in Reliquaries, whose size and shape can vary depending on the relic and its importance. The Relic of St. Jude, for example, is contained in a wooden reliquary in the shape of an arm. whose hand holds the form of a blessing. The forearm bone is held inside, with a wax seal denoting its authenticity. It became tradition for Churches to have the relic of a saint enshrine underneath a stone, in or under the altar where the Eucharistic Sacrifice takes place.  

Relic Designations

  The Catholic Church categorizes Relics into one of three classes, as outlined below:      

The Use and Abuse of Relics

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While in the early history of the church, the ability to venerate relics and the martyrs who had died was taken for granted, in later years the research, authentication and storage of relics became a far more complex process. The two chief concerns were the sale of authentic relics for personal gain, and the propagation of hoax or inauthentic relics, once again for personal gain. For example, there are far more pieces of the Crown of Thorns in the world than would have reasonably fit on the original; it is likely that thorns gathered from the same plant as the crown was made from were touched to the Crown and kept as souveniers.     Relics are often used, and have been recorded on countless occasions, to heal the sick and perform miracles. In fact, usually a relic of a saint is involved in a miracle needed in the Saint's Canonization process. Blessed Carlo Acutis, for example, who will be canonized some time in 2025, had his first miracle in 2013. A young brazillian boy named Matheus Vianna, who suffered from a pancreatic defect, was healed upon kissing an article of Acutis' clothing.   I will end my hopefully-short diatribe with the note and reminder that when a Catholic venerates a relic, it is not the Saint we are worshiping; we are asking for their intercession as one already in heaven, at the foot of God. We ask them to pray for us and our needs, that their faith may prevail where ours on earth may be weak.   _{This attitude will likely vary depending on your worldbuilding.}  

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