How to Explain Relics Without Sounding Weird
- Colleen Eisley
- 13 hours ago
- 6 min read
I remember when a relic exhibit came to my home parish when I was probably a younger teenager. Fragments of bones, pieces of cloth that had been touched to the bones of a saint, or something that had belonged to them, filled the parish hall in reliquaries of various sizes and shapes. We were allowed to see the reliquaries and read about each one- and it was truly a moving experience.
But the more I think about that, the more I think how confusing that must look from a non-Catholic perspective. As an apologist, relics are one aspect of Catholicism that I struggled to explain- but truly, it's not as complex as you might think. You can totally explain relics in a way that's simple, easy to understand, and doesn't make Catholics out to be weirder than we are! Relics are deeply engrained in the Church's history, and their roots go back even further. They serve as a beautiful reminder of our brothers and sisters in Heaven and of our own mortality and impending final reward.
What is a Relic?
Relics are popularly classified in three categories: First, Second, and Third Class. First Class relics are pieces of bones or other body parts of a saint. Second-class relics are pieces of a saint's clothing or items they owned (Rosary, jewelry, etc.). Third-class relics are something that has been touched by a first-class relic. The Church has more specific categories, however, laid out in a 2017 document by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints entitled, Relics in the Church: Authenticity and Preservation. The document makes a distinction between significant and non-significant relics, with significant relics being "the body of the Blesseds and of the saints or notable parts of the bodies themselves or the sum total of the ashes obtained by their cremation," and non-significant relics being "Little fragments of the body of the Blesseds and of the Saints as well as objects that have come in direct contact with their person" This does not mean that non-significant relics are insignificant, only that they have a different level of care preserved by the Church than the whole, intact bodies or parts of bodies would.
What is a Reliquary?
A reliquary is a display case (typically gold) that holds and protects a relic. Typically, when looking at relics, we wouldn't touch the relic itself but rather view it through a sealed display, or only the reliquary it's in, to preserve it, as it is a fragile historical artifact. Bone and cloth can be handled only so many times before they disintegrate, so the Church takes special care to protect the relics themselves. The Church teaches that relics may not be displayed for veneration without a proper certificate attesting to their authenticity, and bishops (or their priests) oversee procedures to ensure authenticity and prevent abuses.
Why do Catholics venerate relics?
If you have a loved one who has passed away, you probably have a photograph of them, or a shirt or something that they owned. Perhaps, if they were cremated, you have their ashes (read about the Catholic view of cremation here). Think of a relic like these items. Just as you might keep a loved one's items to help you remember them or feel closer to them, we keep parts of saints' bodies or things they owned to remember them and to remind us to ask for their intercession. The body is sacred- a Temple of the Holy Spirit- so it is treated with reverence even after death when the soul is separated from the body. We don't honor the relic, but rather the person to whom it belonged, who now beholds the face of God in Heaven. If t-shirts or photographs were a thing when Christians first started collecting relics of holy people, perhaps we would have those instead of bone fragments!
How do Catholics venerate relics?
Let's first define what it means to venerate something. The Church teaches that there are four types of veneration:
Dulia is the term for the general veneration of saints and angels. They are in no way worshipped. However, they are role models and intercessors for the faithful as they journey to Heaven.
Proskynesis: This is the simple form of veneration reserved for relics, images of saints, and holy places. They are to be treated and talked about with reverence and respect. The word comes from the Greek word "proskyneo," which translates to two words: pros (towards), and kyneo (to kiss). This is why some people touch sacramentals to or kiss relics.
Hyperdulia: This literally means "more-dulia" and is reserved for veneration of the Blessed Virgin Mary. She is distinct from the saints but not on the same level as God, and thus, deserving of more veneration and honor than other saints.
Oftentimes, people will touch Rosaries, scapulars, or other sacramental items to relics (or rather, reliquaries) or even kiss them. This is not because they are worshipping them, but rather honoring them as belonging to someone whom they love and look up to. If you hold the shirt of a loved one, kiss a photo of them in memory of them, or anything of the like, you are doing the same thing! The Church also has guidelines for veneration of relics, stating that relics "may not be displayed for the veneration of the faithful without a proper certificate of the ecclesiastical authority who guarantees their authenticity" (Relics in the Church: Authenticity and Preservation, 2017). Reliquaries are also kept sealed to prevent desecration, and their sale is absolutely prohibited.
But why do Catholics think relics are important? The saints are just dead people.
Relics help us to feel connected with our Brothers and Sisters who are already in Heaven. We know that they intercede for us before God (Rev. 5:8) and that their prayers are powerful. Just as I can ask my friend here on earth to pray for me, so I can ask a saint friend who is fully alive with Christ in Heaven. After all, is "the prayer of a righteous person is very powerful," (James 5:16) then who is more righteous than a Brother or Sister in Christ who's been fully purified and now lives in total communion with God? Relics are signs that help us to remember this reality.
Are relics part of witchcraft or superstition?
When people speak of witchcraft, they are typically referring to attributing power to objects rather than to God. We do not believe that relics are "magical" or have any power on their own- they are merely pieces of bone, tissue, cloth, or another natural material. Any spiritual benefit that one receives through venerating relics or asking the saints for their prayers is from God Himself. The Catechism states: " To attribute the efficacy of prayers or of sacramental signs to their mere external performance, apart from the interior dispositions that they demand, is to fall into superstition” (CCC 2111). This teaching applies to relics, as well as to other devotions and sacramentals.
The Church even states that relics are to be preserved and honored, while “avoiding every type of superstition and illicit trade.” (Instruction "Relics In The Church: Authenticity And Preservation", 2017)
Do relics appear in the Bible?
Yes! Just a few examples:
Matthew 14:35-36: "And when the men of that place recognized Jesus, they sent word to all the surrounding country. People brought all their sick to him and begged him to let the sick just touch the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed."
2 Kings 13:21: "Once while some Israelites were burying a man, suddenly they saw a band of raiders; so they threw the man’s body into Elisha’s tomb. When the body touched Elisha’s bones, the man came to life and stood up on his feet."
Acts 19:12: "...so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him (Paul) were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them."
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