Relics?

[sixpence]

Hi Pham!!! Long time no see!!!!

I have a random question:

are objects blessed by a saint considered a third degree relic? I know this is usually something that would have touched a frist or second degree relic. Just wondering cause I just found my little crucifix blessed by St. JPII. Thanks!

[Nihil Obstat]

Hi Pham!!! Long time no see!!!!

I have a random question:

are objects blessed by a saint considered a third degree relic? I know this is usually something that would have touched a frist or second degree relic. Just wondering cause I just found my little crucifix blessed by St. JPII. Thanks!

I do not think that is the case. I am speculating, because I have not read anything specifically on the subject, but I think that since a blessing is an act done by the juridical authority of the Church to dispense grace, and not related to the person's sanctity, it would not be considered a relic.

[OnlySunshine]

I think Nihil Obstat is right about this. The rosary is a sacramental after it receives a blessing but is not a relic.  It only becomes a relic if it contains a piece of human material (1st degree; like hair, bone, etc), clothing that the person wore (2nd degree), or has been touched to a 1st degree relic (3rd degree).  I touched my mom's rosary and some holy cards to a vial of JPII's blood (1st degree) and they became 3rd degree relics.

 

More information can be found here:

 

http://catholiceducation.org/articles/religion/re0331.html

Edited May 8, 2014 by MaterMisericordiae

[cartermia]

Question: How can there be a relic for St. Michael the Archangel if angels have no body? I recently saw a relic claiming it was St. Michael's but I wondered about this and have been meaning to make a thread about it. 

[OnlySunshine]

Question: How can there be a relic for St. Michael the Archangel if angels have no body? I recently saw a relic claiming it was St. Michael's but I wondered about this and have been meaning to make a thread about it. 

 

Good question!  I don't know how there can be a relic of an Archangel either.  The relics that I've seen have all been touched to a cave in Italy where St. Michael was said to have appeared in the 6th century.  These would be 3rd class relics only.

[Cherie]

Father Horgan is an expert on relics. He explained a lot of these things to us; I can't remember it all, but I do remember some things. Unfortunately, in the past, some relics were touted as being authentic when they were, in fact, not. For example, you may see relics of "Our Lady's veil" (I saw one of these personally) or hair from St. Joseph's beard. Those originated from Passion Plays and other such religious-themed re-enactments. Afterwards, the audience would take "relics" from those who acted as the holy people. It was a symbolic type of thing, but the relics eventually got passed off as real. Sometimes it can be difficult to determine whether a particular relic is authentic or not, unfortunately. I would guess the relics of St. Michael originated from a similar kind of circumstance.