Italian, english, español

 

THE VARIOUS FACETS OF THE RELICS OF THE SAINTS

Even today it is not difficult to come across situations in which the body of the saint, reduced to a skeleton displayed in elaborate display cases, it becomes the object of attention that can easily slip into the morbid or the folkloristic, Unfortunately we are experiencing it these days with the display of the bones of Saint Francis of Assisi, in front of which there are more cell phone photographs than prayers.

— Liturgical ministry —

.

.

PDF print format article – Article print fortmat – Article in printed format

.

.

When it comes to relics, an area of ​​the life of the Church is touched upon which, more than others, today risks being misunderstood: on the one hand reduced to superficial devotional practice, on the other rejected as a residue of an archaic or superstitious mentality. To avoid both extremes, it is necessary to return to the theological foundation that makes the veneration of relics in the Catholic tradition understandable and justifiable.

The relics, in their most proper form, they are made up of the body or parts of the body of the Saints. Alongside these are the so-called "second class" relics, that is, objects belonging to the Saints, and those "by contact", that is, objects that have been placed in physical relationship with their body or with their grave. This distinction, far from being a merely technical classification, reflects a precise theological vision: holiness does not only concern the soul, but it involves the whole person, in his unity of body and spirit.

The decisive point, often forgotten, is that the veneration of relics is rooted in faith in the Incarnation and in the resurrection of the flesh. The body of the Saint is not a simple biological remains, but a body that was the temple of the Holy Spirit and which is destined for definitive transfiguration. This is why it is guarded, honored and venerated: not as such, but as a concrete sign of the work of God's grace in history.

Already the Holy Scripture attests that God can operate through the mediation of matter. Just think of the Old Testament story in which a dead man comes back to life upon contact with the bones of the prophet Elisha (cf.. 2Re 13,21), or to the handkerchiefs and aprons that had been in contact with the apostle Paul and which were brought to the sick (cf.. At 19,11-12). It's not about attributing magical power to objects, but to recognize that divine grace can make use of concrete mediations.

Already in medieval times there was no shortage of severe warnings against the degenerations of certain devotional practices. If literature has fixed the figure of Friar Cipolla in the common memory, made famous by the skilful irony of Giovanni Boccaccio, on the level of real preaching no less energetic was Saint Bernardino of Siena, who in a well-known sermon condemned in no uncertain terms the proliferation of dubious relics, like that of the ampoule containing the milk of the Virgin Mary (cf.. Hypocritical devotions, in: Baldi, Novels and moral examples of S. Bernardino of Siena, Florence 1916). This is a topic on which Father Ariel S. wrote a few years ago in these columns. Levi di Gualdo, which he took up in a deliberately colorful — and not always understood — form, especially by those who do not want to understand - the same question, highlighting how certain devotional tendencies are not a modern invention at all, but an ever-present risk in the life of the Church (cf.. Who).

In this context the use of relics "by contact" was also born, like the so-called brandea, that is, cloths placed in contact with the tombs of the martyrs, which were then distributed to the faithful. This practice, far from being an arbitrary invention, expressed the desire to make the memory of the saints accessible without compromising the integrity of their bodies. However, it is necessary to make it clear that the relic is not a fetish. Fetishism attributes a power in itself to the object, almost automatic; Christian veneration, instead, he recognizes in the relic a sign that refers to God and his action. Grace does not reside in matter as in an autonomous force, but it is always a gift from God, which can also use sensitive signs to reach man.

Over the centuries, the relationship with the relics has seen different developments, not always free from ambiguity. In some eras there has been a certain spectacularization, with exhibitions that risk attracting curiosity rather than devotion. Even today it is not difficult to come across situations in which the body of the saint, reduced to a skeleton displayed in elaborate display cases, it becomes the object of attention that can easily slip into the morbid or the folkloristic, Unfortunately we are experiencing it these days with the display of the bones of Saint Francis of Assisi, in front of which there are more cell phone photographs than prayers. And this is where serious discernment is required. If the relic loses its reference to holiness and the life of grace, if it is not inserted in a context of faith and catechesis, it risks becoming an object of purely aesthetic or cultural interest. From a sign of future glory it can be transformed into a simple relic of the past.

We must then ask ourselves what meaning can the veneration of relics have today?, especially those consisting of bodily remains. The answer can only be the same as the tradition of the Church has always given: they make sense to the extent that they refer to Christ and his work of salvation. The saint is not venerated for himself, but because the grace of God was manifested in him. The relic, so, it is a concrete memory of holiness, testimony of the Incarnation and reminder of the resurrection of the flesh. It speaks to the believer not about death, but of life; not of a closed past, but of a promised future. For this reason the Church, while carefully guarding these testimonies, it is also called to educate the faithful on their correct meaning. Without adequate training, the risk of misunderstanding is always present.

Venerate the relics it means, ultimately, recognize that the salvation brought about by Christ concerns man in his entirety and that matter itself is called to participate in the glory of God. In this sense they can be understood as a concrete extension of the logic of the Incarnation in the history of the Church. Only under this condition does their presence retain an authentic spiritual value; otherwise, the relics emptied of their meaning and reduced to objects of curiosity or misunderstood devotion, they risk giving life to the correct and realistic sketch of Friar Cipolla created by Giovanni Boccaccio.

Florence, 20 March 2026

.

THE VARIOUS FACETS OF THE RELICS OF THE SAINTS

Even today it is not difficult to encounter situations in which the body of a saint, reduced to a skeleton displayed in elaborate reliquaries, becomes the object of an attention that can easily slip into the morbid or the folkloric. We are unfortunately witnessing this in these very days with the exposition of the bones of Saint Francis of Assisi, before which there are more photographs taken with mobile phones than prayers.

— Liturgical pastoral —

.

.

When speaking of relics, one touches upon an area of the Church’s life which, more than others, risks today being misunderstood: on the one hand reduced to a superficial devotional practice, on the other rejected as a remnant of an archaic or superstitious mentality. To avoid both extremes, it is necessary to return to the theological foundation that renders the veneration of relics intelligible and justifiable within the Catholic tradition.

Relics, in their most proper form, consist of the body or parts of the body of the Saints. Alongside these are the so-called “second-class” relics, that is, objects belonging to the Saints, and those “by contact,” namely objects that have been placed in physical relation with their body or their tomb. This distinction, far from being a merely technical classification, reflects a precise theological vision: holiness does not concern the soul alone, but involves the entire person, in the unity of body and spirit.

The decisive point, often forgotten, is that the veneration of relics is rooted in the faith in the Incarnation and in the resurrection of the flesh. The body of the Saint is not a mere biological remnant, but a body that has been a temple of the Holy Spirit and that is destined for definitive transfiguration. For this reason it is preserved, honored and venerated: not in itself, but as a concrete sign of the work of God’s grace in history.

Sacred Scripture itself attests that God can act through the mediation of matter. Suffice it to recall the account in the Old Testament in which a dead man returns to life upon contact with the bones of the prophet Elisha (cf. 2 Kgs 13:21), or the handkerchiefs and aprons that had been in contact with the Apostle Paul and were brought to the sick (cf. Acts 19:11–12). This is not a matter of attributing magical power to objects, but of recognizing that divine grace can make use of concrete mediations.

Already in the medieval period there were no lack of severe warnings against the degeneration of certain devotional practices. If literature has fixed in the common imagination the figure of Friar Cipolla, made famous by the refined irony of Giovanni Boccaccio, on the level of real preaching no less forceful was Saint Bernardino of Siena, who in a well-known sermon sharply denounced the proliferation of dubious relics, such as the vial said to contain the milk of the Virgin Mary (cf. Hypocritical devotionse, in: Baldi, Novels and moral examples of S. Bernardino of Siena, Florence 1916). On this subject, Father Ariel S. Levi di Gualdo wrote some years ago in these very pages, taking up the same question in deliberately vivid — and not always understood by those who simply do not wish to understand — terms, showing how such devotional deviations are by no means a modern invention, but a perennial risk within the life of the Church (cf. Here).

Within this context also arose the use of relics “by contact,” such as the so-called brandea, that is, cloths placed in contact with the tombs of the martyrs and then distributed to the faithful. This practice, far from being an arbitrary invention, expressed the desire to make the memory of the saints accessible without compromising the integrity of their bodies. It is nevertheless necessary to state clearly that the relic is not a fetish. Fetishism attributes to the object a power in itself, almost automatic; Christian veneration, instead, recognizes in the relic a sign that refers to God and to His action. Grace does not reside in matter as an autonomous force, but is always the gift of God, who may also make use of sensible signs to reach man.

Over the centuries, the relationship with relics has undergone different developments, not always free from ambiguity. In certain periods there has been a degree of theatricalization, with displays that risk attracting curiosity more than devotion. Even today it is not difficult to encounter situations in which the body of a saint, reduced to a skeleton displayed in elaborate cases, becomes the object of an attention that can easily slip into the morbid or the folkloric. We are unfortunately witnessing this in these very days with the exposition of the bones of Saint Francis of Assisi, before which there are more photographs taken with mobile phones than prayers. Here a serious discernment becomes necessary. If the relic loses its reference to holiness and to the life of grace, if it is not inserted within a context of faith and catechesis, it risks becoming an object of purely aesthetic or cultural interest. From a sign of future glory it can be reduced to a mere relic of the past.

One must then ask what meaning the veneration of relics can have today, especially those consisting of bodily remains. The answer can only be the same that the Church’s tradition has always given: they have meaning insofar as they refer to Christ and to His work of salvation. The saint is not venerated for himself, but because in him the grace of God has been manifested. The relic, therefore, is a concrete memory of holiness, a testimony of the Incarnation and a reminder of the resurrection of the flesh. It speaks to the believer not of death, but of life; not of a closed past, but of a promised future. For this reason the Church, while carefully safeguarding these testimonies, is also called to educate the faithful to their proper meaning. Without adequate formation, the risk of misunderstanding is always present.

To venerate relics ultimately means to recognize that the salvation accomplished by Christ concerns the human person in his entirety and that matter itself is called to participate in the glory of God. In this sense they may be understood as a concrete prolongation of the logic of the Incarnation within the history of the Church. Only under this condition does their presence retain an authentic spiritual value; otherwise, relics emptied of their meaning and reduced to objects of curiosity or misunderstood devotion risk giving rise to the very real and fitting caricature of Friar Cipolla imagined by Giovanni Boccaccio¹.

Florence, March 20, 2026

.

¹Giovanni Boccaccio (1313–1375) was an Italian writer of the fourteenth century and a central figure of late medieval and early humanist culture. His most famous work, the Decameron, is a collection of one hundred novellas. Among them, the story of Friar Cipolla humorously portrays the abuse of false relics, offering a satirical critique of certain late medieval devotional practices.

.

THE VARIOUS FACETS OF THE RELICS OF THE SAINTS

Even today it is not difficult to encounter situations in which the body of the saint, reduced to a skeleton displayed in elaborate urns, becomes the object of attention that can easily slide towards the morbid or the folkloric. We are unfortunately experiencing it these days with the exhibition of the bones of Saint Francis of Assisi, before which there are more photographs taken with mobile phones than sentences.

— Liturgical pastoral care —

.

.

When talking about relics, It touches on an area of ​​the life of the Church that, more than others, today runs the risk of being misunderstood: on the one hand reduced to superficial devotional practice, on the other hand rejected as a residue of an archaic or superstitious mentality. To avoid both extremes, It is necessary to return to the theological foundation that makes the veneration of relics understandable and justifiable in the Catholic tradition..

The relics, in its most proper form, They are made up of the body or parts of the body of the Saints. To these are added the so-called “second class” relics., that is to say, objects belonging to the Saints, and “by contact”, that is to say, objects that have been placed in physical relationship with your body or with your grave. This distinction, far from being a merely technical classification, reflects a precise theological vision: holiness does not only affect the soul, but it involves the whole person, in the unity of body and spirit.

The decisive point, often forgotten, is that the veneration of relics is based on faith in the Incarnation and the resurrection of the flesh. The Saint's body is not a simple biological remains, but a body that has been a temple of the Holy Spirit and that is destined for definitive transfiguration. That is why it is guarded, honored and revered: not in itself, but as a concrete sign of the work of God's grace in history.

The Holy Scripture itself attests that God can work through the mediation of matter. Just think of the Old Testament story in which a dead man comes back to life when he comes into contact with the bones of the prophet Elisha. (cf. 2 Re 13,21), or in the handkerchiefs and aprons that had been in contact with the apostle Paul and that were taken to the sick (cf. Hch 19,11-12). It is not about attributing magical power to objects, but to recognize that divine grace can use concrete mediations.

Already in medieval times There was no lack of severe warnings against the degenerations of certain devotional practices.. If literature has fixed the figure of Brother Cipolla in common memory, made famous by the refined irony of Giovanni Boccaccio, On the level of royal preaching, Saint Bernardine of Siena was no less energetic., who in a famous sermon bluntly denounced the proliferation of dubious relics, like the vial that supposedly contained the milk of the Virgin Mary (cf. Hypocritical devotions, in: Baldi, Novels and moral examples of S. Bernardino of Siena, Florence 1916). Father Ariel S. wrote about this topic some years ago in these same pages.. Levi di Gualdo, taking up the question in deliberately vivid terms - and not always understood by those who do not want to understand - showing how these devotional drifts are not at all a modern invention, but a constant risk in the life of the Church (cf. Herein).

In this context The use of relics “by contact” also emerged, like the calls brandea, that is to say, cloths placed in contact with the tombs of the martyrs and then distributed to the faithful. This practice, far from being an arbitrary invention, expressed the desire to make the memory of the saints accessible without compromising the integrity of their bodies. However, It is necessary to clearly state that the relic is not a fetish. Fetishism attributes power in itself to the object., almost automatic; Christian veneration, instead, recognizes in the relic a sign that refers to God and his action. Grace does not reside in matter as in an autonomous force, but it is always a gift from God, which can also use sensitive signs to reach man.

throughout the centuries, The relationship with relics has seen various developments, not always free of ambiguity. In some periods there has been a certain spectacularization, with exhibitions that risk attracting curiosity more than devotion. Also today it is not difficult to encounter situations in which the body of the saint, reduced to a skeleton displayed in elaborate urns, becomes the object of attention that can easily slide towards the morbid or the folkloric. We are unfortunately experiencing it these days with the exhibition of the bones of Saint Francis of Assisi, before which there are more photographs taken with mobile phones than sentences. Serious discernment is required here.. If the relic loses its reference to holiness and the life of grace, if it is not inserted in a context of faith and catechesis, runs the risk of becoming an object of purely aesthetic or cultural interest. From a sign of future glory it can become a simple vestige of the past.

It fits then ask what meaning the veneration of relics can have today, especially those consisting of bodily remains. The answer cannot be other than what the tradition of the Church has always given.: They make sense to the extent that they refer to Christ and his work of salvation. The saint is not venerated for himself, but because the grace of God has been manifested in him. The relic is, therefore, concrete memory of holiness, testimony of the Incarnation and reminder of the resurrection of the flesh. Speak to the believer not of death, but of life; not from a closed past, but of a promised future. For this reason the Church, while carefully guarding these testimonies, is also called to educate the faithful in its authentic meaning. Without proper training, the risk of misunderstanding is always present.

Venerating relics means, ultimately, recognize that the salvation accomplished by Christ concerns man as a whole and that matter itself is called to participate in the glory of God. In this sense they can be understood as a concrete extension of the logic of the Incarnation in the history of the Church.. Only under this condition does its presence retain authentic spiritual value.; otherwise, relics emptied of their meaning and reduced to objects of curiosity or misunderstood devotion risk giving life to the fair and realistic caricature of Brother Cipolla imagined by Giovanni Boccaccio¹.

Florence, 20 March 2026

.

¹ Giovanni Boccaccio (1313–1375) He was an Italian writer of the 14th century and a central figure of late medieval and prehumanist culture.. His best known work, he Decameron, It is a collection of one hundred stories. Among them, The story of Brother Cipolla ironically presents the abuse of false relics, offering a satirical critique of certain devotional practices of the late Middle Ages.

.

.

______________________

Dear Readers,
this magazine requires management costs that we have always faced only with your free offers. Those who wish to support our apostolic work can send us their contribution through the convenient and safe way PayPal by clicking below:

Or if you prefer you can use our
Bank account in the name of:
Editions The island of Patmos

n Agency. 59 From Rome – Vatican
Iban code:
IT74R0503403259000000301118
For international bank transfers:
Codice SWIFT:
BAPPIT21D21

If you make a bank transfer, send an email to the editorial staff, the bank does not provide your email and we will not be able to send you a thank you message:
isoladipatmos@gmail.com

We thank you for the support you wish to offer to our apostolic service.

The Fathers of the Island of Patmos

.

.

.