RelicThe reliquary and skull of Saint Ivo of Kermartin (St. Yves or St. Ives; 1253–1303), in Tréguier, Brittany, FranceShrine of Saint Lachtin's Arm, 12th century, IrishIn religion, 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.
Canon lawCanon law is a set of ordinances and regulations made by ecclesiastical authority (church leadership) for the government of a Christian organization or church and its members. Canon law includes the internal ecclesiastical law, or operational policy, governing the Catholic Church (both the Latin Church and the Eastern Catholic Churches), the Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox churches, and the individual national churches within the Anglican Communion.
ReliquaryA reliquary (also referred to as a shrine, chasse, or phylactery) is a container for relics. A portable reliquary, or the room in which one is stored, may also be called a feretory. A brooch-like container for a very small relic may be called a "theca". Relics may be the purported or actual physical remains of saints, and may comprise bones, pieces of clothing, or some object associated with saints or with other religious figures.
DecompositionDecomposition is the process by which dead organic substances are broken down into simpler organic or inorganic matter such as carbon dioxide, water, simple sugars and mineral salts. The process is a part of the nutrient cycle and is essential for recycling the finite matter that occupies physical space in the biosphere. Bodies of living organisms begin to decompose shortly after death.
SaintIn Christian belief, a saint, also known as a hallow, is a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of holiness, likeness, or closeness to God. However, the use of the term saint depends on the context and denomination. Official ecclesiastical recognition, and veneration, is conferred on some denominational saints through the process of canonization in the Catholic Church or glorification in the Eastern Orthodox Church after their approval.
Catholic ChurchChristian church based in Rome
Francis XavierFrancis Xavier (born Francisco de Jasso y Azpilicueta; formerly de Jasso y de Xabier; 7 April 1506 – 3 December 1552), venerated as Saint Francis Xavier, was a Navarrese cleric and missionary. He co-founded the Society of Jesus and, as a representative of the Portuguese Empire, led the first Christian mission to Japan.
BeatificationBeatification (from Latin beatus 'blessed' and facere 'to make') is an act by which the Catholic Church formally recognizes that a deceased member of the faithful is believed to have entered Heaven and is capable of interceding on behalf of individuals who pray in their name, permitting a restricted, local form of public veneration.
Catherine of GenoaCatherine of Genoa (born Caterina Fieschi Adorno; 1447 – 15 September 1510) was an Italian saint and mystic, known for her work among the sick and the poor and remembered because of various writings describing both these actions and her mystical experiences. She was a member of the noble Fieschi family, and spent most of her life and her means serving the sick, especially during the plague which ravaged Genoa in 1497 and 1501. She died in that city in 1510.
Julie BilliartJulie Billiart, SNDdeN (12 July 1751 – 8 April 1816) was a French Catholic nun, educator, and cofounder of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur. She was born in Cuvilly, a village in Picardy, in northern France. She was paralyzed and bedridden for 22 years, but was well known for her prayer, her embroidery skills, and her education of both the poor and the nobility, especially her work with young girls.
Eastern OrthodoxyMajor branch of ChristianityThe People's Salvation Cathedral in Bucharest is the tallest and largest Eastern Orthodox church (by volume) in the world
Divine interventionDivine intervention is an event that occurs when a deity (i.e. God, gods, goddesses etc.) becomes actively involved in changing some situation in human affairs. In contrast to other kinds of divine action, the expression "divine intervention" implies that there is some kind of identifiable situation or state of affairs that a god chooses to get involved with, to intervene in, in order to change, end, or preserve the situation.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.