Relics

Relics are physical objects that have a direct association with the saints or with Our Lord. They are venerated (not worshiped) as tangible memorials of holy people and events. The practice has roots in early Christianity and is based on the belief in the power of God's grace working through the saints and their remains. The veneration of relics is supported by passages like 2 Kings 13:21, where a dead man comes to life after touching the bones of the prophet Elisha. In the early Church, Christians gathered at martyrs’ tombs to celebrate Mass, believing that their closeness to the remains of the saints brought them spiritually closer to God. Now, in each altar as a connection to the early life of the church, first-class relics of saints, typically of a martyred saint, are embedded inside the altar, and that is true for us here at OLMC.

First-class relics are physical remains of a saint, such as their bone, blood, flesh, or hair. Second-class relics are items that a saint personally used or wore, such as clothing, a book, or a rosary. These relics connect the faithful to the saint's earthly life and devotion. In order for these relics to be used in an official capacity, they must be authenticated and recorded by a priest commissioned to do so by the Pope, and they are not allowed to be bought or sold.

With our new Adoration chapel, we are in the process of obtaining relics to place within the chapel so when we gather to spend time in Adoration of the Eucharistic Lord, we are joined by saints who dedicated their lives to Him and now enjoy being in his presence forever. We have recently obtained a relic of Pope Saint Pius X, who reigned from 1903–1914, and was a major advocate for Eucharistic devotion. He is quoted as saying that “Holy Communion is the shortest and safest way to Heaven.” Pius X encouraged frequent, even daily Communion, emphasizing that the Eucharist is a source of grace, not a reward for perfection. In his 1905 decree Sacra Tridentina Synodus, he taught that the Eucharist strengthens the weak and imperfect in their journey toward holiness. Prior to his pontificate, children traditionally didn’t receive First Communion until they were teenagers. In 1910, through the decree Quam Singulari, Pius X lowered the age of First Communion to the age of reason (around 7 years old). His reasoning: even young children, once they can distinguish between ordinary and sacred food and understand the basics of the Real Presence, should be allowed to receive the Body of Christ. As a priest and bishop, he was known to spend long hours in prayer before the tabernacle.

Today, on the Feast of the Ascension, we had the first-class relic of Pius X in the church sanctuary exposed for veneration, and soon his relic will be housed in the altar in the Adoration chapel to join you in spending time before our Blessed Lord.