Today Hubby Tony and I did something that was new for both of us. A relic of
St. Jude has been traveling throughout the United States, and the church we
attend was hosting it this today. We were there.
What is a religious relic? Wikipedia says :
"A relic is an object or article of religious significance from the past. It usually consists of the physical remains or personal effects of a saint or other person preserved for the purpose of veneration as a tangible memorial. Relics are an important aspect of some forms of Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, shamanism, and many other religions."
St. Jude (sometimes referred to as Thaddeus) was one of the twelve Apostles. He was Jesus' first cousin and a brother of St. James the Lesser. He has come to be regarded as the patron saint of lost causes and desperate situations.
St. Jude was martyred in Beirut in about 65 AD. His body was buried there, but transferred to St. Peter's Basilica in Rome during the time of Emperor Constantine. Several centuries ago, his arm was removed and the bone placed in a wooden reliquary carved in the shape of a priest's arm imparting a blessing.
We arrived at 3:15, and left an hour and forty-five minutes later. I had no
preconceptions of how the event would go, but the nearly-full parking lot
surprised me, as did the line of hundreds of people that wrapped halfway
around the gym, down the side of the school, turned and hugged the side of the
church before doubling back to the entrance.
Inside the church the line snaked across the back, then down towards the
sanctuary where a large glass box held the relic. Along the way there were
large signs that gave information about St. Jude, his life, the
history of the relic, and the etiquette for venerating. To keep the line
moving each person could pray for a few seconds in front, and if they desired touch the glass
case holding the reliquary. Once a person's veneration time was over they
could leave or move to a pew for quiet prayer and reflection.
While Tony and I waited we saw a lot of people we knew, and caught up with some we hadn't seen for decades. I talked to the man behind us, who said that he had a son named Jude who was diagnosed with cancer two years ago. The treatment was successful, and the man was coming to give thanks to St. Jude.
Five years ago: Will Summer EVER Go Away?
I like to hear you blogging about church. I have a cousin who became a Catholic when she married. I asked what her parents thought about that. She said her dad had nothing to say, but her mother told her, "I'm just glad you will be going to church."
ReplyDeleteThank you. I try to make my posts interesting to Catholics and people who don't know anything about it. I agree that some type of religion is important in people's lives.
DeleteThanks for sharing this visit
ReplyDelete"his arm was removed"
ReplyDeleteHow about "his arm bone was removed"? The other makes it sound like they were divvying up the body right after he died. 🙂
Much more logical than what I wrote. :-)
DeleteInteresting. I was raised Catholic and never knew about this relic.
ReplyDeleteI didn't either until three weeks ago when they started promoting the event.
DeleteVery interesting information in your post. Sounds like you also had a good time catching up with old friends.
ReplyDeleteIt was great. The group in line ahead of us included an elementary school classmate of Son Brian's, who I hadn't seen since the class graduated.
Delete