Relics focus: bones of the saints combine faith and history

Relics focus: bones of the saints combine faith and history

relics, those often small pieces of the body of a saint, play a central role in the Catholic Church. Today we address the meaning and dealing with these fascinating objects, which for many believers represent a bridge to the saints. Martin Colberg, archivist of the Archdiocese of Hamburg, explains in detail that relics often consist of bones because they are long preserved. So he recently packed a small bone of the Holy Ansgar, who lived in the 9th century and brought Christianity to Hamburg, for the relic in the Mariendom in St. Georg. According to ndr are the canonings that are necessary to enable someone as a saint, often long and often demanding.

But how does these relics come about? Sometimes special bone saws are used to saw off small pieces of saint bones. These pieces often find their place in altars to symbolize the proximity to martyrs. A duly example of this are the burials of the Holy Probus and St. Jokundus in Hamburg-Rahlstedt, documented in a consecration book.

important requirements of the Vatican

The Vatican has now published a new instruction for dealing with relics, which is aimed specifically at bishops. This instruction, which is known under the title "The relics in the church: authenticity and storage", comprises ten pages and aims to ensure the authenticity of relics and to regulate them accordingly how bishops should handle these objects. A permit from the church side is essential before the limbs of the deceased who are to be blissfully or canonize can be removed. According to Katholisch.de remains strictly prohibited.

A distinction is also made between primary and secondary relics. Primary relics include corpses, body parts or even ashes of blessed or saints, while secondary relics are smaller body parts or objects that came into contact with their bones. In the case of secondary relics, it is important that this is treated with dignity and awe to avoid superstition.

The attitude of the faithful

relics are of particular importance for Catholics because they establish a personal connection to the saints. Many believers feel comfortable in the presence of these objects, which they are reminiscent of the martyrs and saints. For non-Catholics, however, the topic of relics can often appear strange. So it can happen that the neutral view of a relic is incomprehensible while it has a deeper meaning for believers.

The discussion about relics is gaining new explosiveness, since many churches were rebuilt after the Second World War and the communities have reduced. Relics from the Definitioned Church of St. Maximilian Kolbe now find their place in St. Maria in Harburg, while in the church of St. Petrus in Finkenwerder the relic of St. Theresia of Lisieux was made visible in a shrine for the believers.

Another exciting point is the beatification of an archbishop on May 17, which was murdered by the Soviet army in 1942. The challenge is that no human remains have been found so far, which means that there are no relics available.

The debate about relics remains alive and reflects the complex relationship between history, faith and modern church guidelines. It is astonishing how tradition and today's church practice interweave each other and how relics continue to represent a fascinating topic among people's home visitors.