In Christian church language, a relic is an object connected with a saint or sacred person and treated with honor. Catholic and Orthodox churches keep such objects, and some Anglican and other liturgical churches also preserve or honor them. A relic may be a saint’s physical remains, an item the person used, or a fragment associated with Christ’s cross.
What kinds of objects are called relics?
In Catholic usage, corporeal relics are physical remains such as bone, hair, or skin; non-corporeal relics are objects such as clothing, a book, a rosary, or earth associated with a saint. Orthodox churches similarly honor bodily remains and objects linked to saints. A fragment believed to have come from the True Cross is another traditional kind of relic.
Age alone does not make an object a relic. A historic chest may be a museum piece, and a holy card is a devotional image rather than a relic. An icon is also a religious image; what makes a relic different is its physical association with a saint or sacred event.
How are relics displayed and honored?
A relic may rest in a small sealed box called a reliquary, appear under glass, or be placed inside an altar. Catholic altars can contain relics, and a relic of the True Cross may be carried in procession. At Orthodox shrines, visitors may bow before and kiss the reliquary; some shrines are known for relics described as myrrh-streaming because they are believed to exude a myrrh-like substance.
The honor shown is veneration rather than worship. Catholic and Orthodox teaching reserve worship for God alone; veneration acknowledges the saint or sacred event represented. Orthodox and Catholic practices both include bowing, kissing, or placing a candle before a relic, though the exact form of participation differs.
Which churches use relics?
Relic veneration is especially established in Roman Catholic, Eastern Catholic, and Orthodox churches. Episcopal and some other Anglican congregations may keep relics in altars or receive them in a ceremony or procession, although not every parish has one. Many Baptists, evangelicals, Reformed churches, and other Protestants do not practice relic veneration; some preserve historic religious objects without treating them as sacred.
What should visitors do when they see a relic?
Start with the label or ask a clergy member or church representative. It may identify the saint, the object, and its history. Some altar-embedded relics are not visible; others are displayed for veneration. Visitors may bow or kiss the reliquary when that is the church’s custom, but non-Christians are not expected to imitate a gesture they do not understand.
Photography and touching should follow posted instructions. Many churches ask visitors not to touch a relic itself. The most respectful approach is to observe quietly, ask questions, and treat the object as sacred rather than as a souvenir or ordinary piece of history.