Veneration for the dead, or the religion of remembrance, is common among almost all peoples of the world. In many instances some attempt was made to render the departed present again by means of an object in which it was believed something of the deceased remained. Among certain ancient peoples this developed into the custom of erecting elaborate funeral monuments and using them for commemorative gatherings, frequently with some religious significance. Though no special honour was paid to their relics, care was taken to preserve the ashes or bodies of the deceased in graves, tombs, or urns.
The relic is basically the material remains of a saint or a holy person after his/her death, as well as objects sanctified by contact with their body. Only late in its history did the word relics, or ‘reliquiae’, assume a religious meaning. The Greek word ‘leipsana’ and the classic Latin ‘reliquiae’ originally signified any mortal remains; but the Catholic Church employs the word to distinguish the body or whatever remains of a holy person after death, as well as objects that had actual contact with the saint’s body during his lifetime. ‘Real’ (or first-class) relics include the skin and bones, clothing, objects used for penance, instruments of a martyrs imprisonment or execution; while ‘representative’ relics are the objects placed in contact with the body or grave of a saint by the piety of the faithful or by circumstance.
Scriptural texts supporting the cult of relics are few and not explicit (Ex 13.19; 2 Kgs 13:21). While the Mosaic Law recognized the veneration of the dead, especially of deceased heroes, it is not certain that this practice had a religious character. The instances of Elisha (2 Kgs 13:21) and Elijah (2 Kgs 2.14) offer certain grounds for such cult; but Jewish fear of contamination by idolatrous practices finally suppressed human representation and material attachment in such matters. It is thus vain to seek a justification for the cult of relics in the Old Testament; nor is much attention paid to relics in the New Testament. In the Apocalypse the author recommends that the faithful and martyrs be left to rest in peace (11.13). Despite these, although the Apostles inherited Jewish diffidence regarding relics, the new converts in the time of St. Paul disputed about objects that belonged to the Apostles and recognized as miraculous agents clothing that they had touched (Acts 19:12).
During the early persecutions of the Christians, the veneration of the relics of martyrs spread quickly and does not seem to have been opposed by the Christian hierarchy. But no liturgy accompanied this development until the 3rd century. Since the veneration of the dead was the only cult that could be practised freely at Rome during times of persecution, the Christians assembled near the tombs to render homage to their dead. Occasionally these gatherings were accompanied by a liturgical celebration.
In the course of 4th and 5th centuries the veneration of martyrs’ relics grew as a liturgical cult and began to receive theological justification. It is from this same time that evidence is available for the veneration offered by the faithful to relics that is on a par with modern practices. The tombs of martyrs were opened, and relics were distributed in the form of ‘brandea’, or objects that had touched the actual body or bones. These ‘brandea’ were enclosed in little cases and used for public veneration.
With Sts. Basil and John Chrysostom in the East and Sts. Ambrose and Augustine in the West the theology of the cult of relics received its formal development. Even though oppositions to this practice had crept up from many quarters, Christian authors had already pointed out the explicit difference between the cult of ‘latria’ (worship) and of ‘doulia’ (veneration), and St. Jerome defended the cult of relics with an appeal to Scripture, ecclesiastical tradition, and the miracles worked by God through the relics of the saints. It was clarified that glory is to be given to God alone; but, since His power is manifest in relics, they can be venerated. The final justification to the veneration of relics rests on the human appraisal of relics: they are the remains of faithful and heroic Christians who as saints are close to God.
It was St. John Damascene who brought certain stability to the doctrine of the veneration of relics in the East. He taught that God gave the relics of saints to the Church as a means of salvation and that it was necessary to give them honour as representing the saints, the friends of Christ, the children and heirs of God. So the cult of relics was actually an extension of the honour due to God alone.
In the West the cult of relics advanced with the development of the Middle Ages. However, many abuses also became part of this practice, leading to falsification of relics, many malpractices, and even business and commerce. During the Crusades the commerce in relics reached a new high, and in 1274 the Council of Lyons prohibited the veneration of new relics without the approbation of the Pope. In the course of time, pilgrimages and processions with the relics of saints in the streets gave rise to special feasts, fairs and great public events that attracted great crowds.
During the Scholastic period, St. Thomas Aquinas reaffirmed John Damascene’s view that saints belong to Christ and as a consequence serve as intercessors before God for the living. Every relic is thus a record of the saint. As God works miracles through relics, relics have a direct relationship with the saints, with Christ, and with God. St. Thomas also held that saints are the temples and instruments of the Holy Spirit in their whole person. They continue to be so in a secondary fashion in the remains of their bodies still on earth. Thus the body of a saint deserves honour for itself; and it follows that relics deserve more veneration than do images. The miracles worked by God are irrefutable proofs of this fact. God is the principal and primary object of worship (latria), while the saints and their relics deserve veneration (doulia).
Cardinal Billuart (1685-1757) in his ‘De Incarnationis’ makes a clear statement: Materially considered, relics have no right to veneration; but in their formal aspect, as representative of the saint whose remains they are, they are worthy of the same veneration that is due to the saint. They are only distinguished from the saint whom they represent by the modality of being immobile and inanimate; but actually they constitute one sole entity with the saint. Hence the dignity of the relic is same as that of the saint.
The relic in itself as an object, however, does possess value of sanctification in so far as it was once in direct contact with the saint. The dignity with which the Church invests a relic thus has a true foundation, and the veneration is based on a true autonomous title. The Church approves of the following types of authorized cult: exposition of relics for veneration; the kissing of relics; carrying them in procession; and blessing the people with them.
As the relic of St. John Bosco (his right hand) is in Nagaland at present as part of the world pilgrimage, it is most fitting that all people of our state avail of this great and God-given opportunity to pay homage to this great educator saint of the 19th century and obtain manifold blessings from God through his intercession. May St. John Bosco intercede for the whole of our region and for all our people.
The relic is basically the material remains of a saint or a holy person after his/her death, as well as objects sanctified by contact with their body. Only late in its history did the word relics, or ‘reliquiae’, assume a religious meaning. The Greek word ‘leipsana’ and the classic Latin ‘reliquiae’ originally signified any mortal remains; but the Catholic Church employs the word to distinguish the body or whatever remains of a holy person after death, as well as objects that had actual contact with the saint’s body during his lifetime. ‘Real’ (or first-class) relics include the skin and bones, clothing, objects used for penance, instruments of a martyrs imprisonment or execution; while ‘representative’ relics are the objects placed in contact with the body or grave of a saint by the piety of the faithful or by circumstance.
Scriptural texts supporting the cult of relics are few and not explicit (Ex 13.19; 2 Kgs 13:21). While the Mosaic Law recognized the veneration of the dead, especially of deceased heroes, it is not certain that this practice had a religious character. The instances of Elisha (2 Kgs 13:21) and Elijah (2 Kgs 2.14) offer certain grounds for such cult; but Jewish fear of contamination by idolatrous practices finally suppressed human representation and material attachment in such matters. It is thus vain to seek a justification for the cult of relics in the Old Testament; nor is much attention paid to relics in the New Testament. In the Apocalypse the author recommends that the faithful and martyrs be left to rest in peace (11.13). Despite these, although the Apostles inherited Jewish diffidence regarding relics, the new converts in the time of St. Paul disputed about objects that belonged to the Apostles and recognized as miraculous agents clothing that they had touched (Acts 19:12).
During the early persecutions of the Christians, the veneration of the relics of martyrs spread quickly and does not seem to have been opposed by the Christian hierarchy. But no liturgy accompanied this development until the 3rd century. Since the veneration of the dead was the only cult that could be practised freely at Rome during times of persecution, the Christians assembled near the tombs to render homage to their dead. Occasionally these gatherings were accompanied by a liturgical celebration.
In the course of 4th and 5th centuries the veneration of martyrs’ relics grew as a liturgical cult and began to receive theological justification. It is from this same time that evidence is available for the veneration offered by the faithful to relics that is on a par with modern practices. The tombs of martyrs were opened, and relics were distributed in the form of ‘brandea’, or objects that had touched the actual body or bones. These ‘brandea’ were enclosed in little cases and used for public veneration.
With Sts. Basil and John Chrysostom in the East and Sts. Ambrose and Augustine in the West the theology of the cult of relics received its formal development. Even though oppositions to this practice had crept up from many quarters, Christian authors had already pointed out the explicit difference between the cult of ‘latria’ (worship) and of ‘doulia’ (veneration), and St. Jerome defended the cult of relics with an appeal to Scripture, ecclesiastical tradition, and the miracles worked by God through the relics of the saints. It was clarified that glory is to be given to God alone; but, since His power is manifest in relics, they can be venerated. The final justification to the veneration of relics rests on the human appraisal of relics: they are the remains of faithful and heroic Christians who as saints are close to God.
It was St. John Damascene who brought certain stability to the doctrine of the veneration of relics in the East. He taught that God gave the relics of saints to the Church as a means of salvation and that it was necessary to give them honour as representing the saints, the friends of Christ, the children and heirs of God. So the cult of relics was actually an extension of the honour due to God alone.
In the West the cult of relics advanced with the development of the Middle Ages. However, many abuses also became part of this practice, leading to falsification of relics, many malpractices, and even business and commerce. During the Crusades the commerce in relics reached a new high, and in 1274 the Council of Lyons prohibited the veneration of new relics without the approbation of the Pope. In the course of time, pilgrimages and processions with the relics of saints in the streets gave rise to special feasts, fairs and great public events that attracted great crowds.
During the Scholastic period, St. Thomas Aquinas reaffirmed John Damascene’s view that saints belong to Christ and as a consequence serve as intercessors before God for the living. Every relic is thus a record of the saint. As God works miracles through relics, relics have a direct relationship with the saints, with Christ, and with God. St. Thomas also held that saints are the temples and instruments of the Holy Spirit in their whole person. They continue to be so in a secondary fashion in the remains of their bodies still on earth. Thus the body of a saint deserves honour for itself; and it follows that relics deserve more veneration than do images. The miracles worked by God are irrefutable proofs of this fact. God is the principal and primary object of worship (latria), while the saints and their relics deserve veneration (doulia).
Cardinal Billuart (1685-1757) in his ‘De Incarnationis’ makes a clear statement: Materially considered, relics have no right to veneration; but in their formal aspect, as representative of the saint whose remains they are, they are worthy of the same veneration that is due to the saint. They are only distinguished from the saint whom they represent by the modality of being immobile and inanimate; but actually they constitute one sole entity with the saint. Hence the dignity of the relic is same as that of the saint.
The relic in itself as an object, however, does possess value of sanctification in so far as it was once in direct contact with the saint. The dignity with which the Church invests a relic thus has a true foundation, and the veneration is based on a true autonomous title. The Church approves of the following types of authorized cult: exposition of relics for veneration; the kissing of relics; carrying them in procession; and blessing the people with them.
As the relic of St. John Bosco (his right hand) is in Nagaland at present as part of the world pilgrimage, it is most fitting that all people of our state avail of this great and God-given opportunity to pay homage to this great educator saint of the 19th century and obtain manifold blessings from God through his intercession. May St. John Bosco intercede for the whole of our region and for all our people.
Fr. T. C. Joseph SDB
Salesian College, Dimapur
