According to Catholic teaching and tradition, a first class relic is the body or a part of the body of a saint. A second class relic is a piece of clothing or any article that was once used by the saint during his or her life. And a third class relic is any object that has been touched to a first class relic. The earliest recorded references to relics date back to the second century; and they are mentioned in the writings of the Church Fathers in the fourth and fifth centuries. By the tenth century, relics had become objects of devotion among the faithful and remain so even now. Most churches contain an altar stone that contains a relic of the parish’s patron saint.

On February 15th, Franciscan communities and many Catholic parishes will commemorate the Feast of the Translation of the Relics of Saint Anthony of Padua. When Saint Anthony died in 1231, his earthly remains were buried in the Church of Saint Mary in Padua, Italy. In 1263, a new basilica built in his memory was ready for his tomb to be transferred. When the coffin was opened, the saint’s body was reduced to dust but his tongue was incorrupt. This means that it still looked life- like and was not decomposed in any observable way.

Saint Bonaventure, who was present as Minister General of the Order of Friars Minor, removed the tongue from the tomb and reverently raised it for all to see. Bonaventure then cried out: “O blessed tongue, which always blessed the Lord and called others to bless Him! It is now clear just how great were your merits before Almighty God!” At the time, many could remember that Saint Anthony was a gifted preacher, brilliant theologian, and miracle maker. For this reason, the centuries-old celebration is sometimes called the Feast of Saint Anthony’s Tongue.

The tongue relic was placed in a special container called a reliquary. In 1981, Pope John Paul II gave permission for Saint Anthony’s tomb to be opened for the first time in five hundred years. Inside the casket, a team of doctors and scholars found the saint’s habit and his vocal cords which were also incorrupt.

Nearly eight centuries after Saint Anthony’s death, his tongue, habit, jaw bone, and vocal cords remain incorrupt and on display in his basilica for pilgrims to venerate. The rest of his remains are buried in the same church. On feast days, as many as two thousand pilgrims per hour venerate Saint Anthony’s relics; and he still receives hundreds of letters every day from people who ask for his intercession. He remains one of the most popular saints of all time; and he is still venerated as the patron of the poor, the sick, and the elderly; and of lost souls and lost things.

Although it may seem ghoulish to modern skeptics, the relics of saints remind us of the power of prayer and devotion. They are instruments through which the intercessions of the saints work miracles for us. They are effective tools of God’s abiding love for his children. And they are the visible evidence of holy lives dedicated to God, sacrificed for God, and offered as witness to the glory of God both on earth and in heaven. Saint Anthony of Padua, pray for us!

Cliff Garvey, Associate Minister
Catholic Community of Gloucester & Rockport
Contact: cgarvey@ccgronline.com

CCGR Weekly Newsletter (2-12-23)
Bringing Home the Word (2-12-23)
The Kids Bulletin (2-12-23)

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Call to Prayer
The Miracle Prayer

Saint Anthony of Padua, pray for us!