161 Items Tagged

Relics and Reliquaries

Rostushe, North Macedonia

Saint Jovan Bigorski Monastery

St. John the Baptist's forearm is housed in this remote 11th-century monastery.

11 Places to See Real Hearts

Hearts stand still for eternity at these memorials.

Jonathan Carey February 10, 2023

4 Truly Unexpected Ways to Express Your Feelings on February 14th

What does Valentine's Day have to do with wounding insults, bone relics, and meat juice?

April White February 9, 2023

Reliquary of St. Margaret Clitherow

The preserved left hand of a saint once known as "the Pearl of York."

Podcast: Galileo’s Middle Finger

Investigating a renowned scientist's iconic digit.

The Podcast Team January 31, 2023

London, England

Hand of St. Etheldreda

One of the oldest remaining Catholic churches in England is home to the hand of a 7th-century saint.

Dunfermline, Scotland

Reliquary of St. Margaret of Scotland

The remains of "the Pearl of Scotland" can be found inside this church.

The Ultimate Guide to Scattered Body Parts

One way or another, these heads, shoulders, hands, and toes have lost their bodies.

Michelle Cassidy October 19, 2021

Northumberland, England

St. Cuthbert's Cave

A rocky outcrop where monks hid their most holy relic while escaping Danish invaders.

Basilica di Sant'Andrea

It took more than 300 years to build this church, which is home to two sacred vessels believed to hold the blood of Christ.

Brixworth, England

All Saints' Church, Brixworth

This church is considered the largest and most complete Saxon church in England.

Brezova, Serbia

Studenica Monastery

This beautiful medieval Serbian monastery is home to frescoes, peculiar sculptures, and historical curiosities.

Lipsanothecae of the Chapel of Saint Francesco de Geronimo

The relics of dozens of martyrs are stored in a single chapel.

Sarsina Cathedral

The collar worn by a fourth-century saint resides in this church, and is still used for blessings to this day.

Castel Sant'Elia, Italy

Pontificio Santuario Maria SS "ad Rupes" (Pontifical Sanctuary of Maria SS. ad Rupes)

A monk spent 14 years carving steps through tuff to make this religious site more accessible to pilgrims.

The Arm of St. Thomas Aquinas

The remains of the left arm of the levitating philosopher-saint are kept in a 13th-century Neapolitan basilica.

Drogheda, Ireland

St. Oliver Plunkett's Head

The severed head of a 17th-century Irish martyr lies within an intricate golden shrine.

Washington, D.C.

Catacombs of Washington, D.C.

Franciscan monks created a facsimile of the Holy Land for North Americans who couldn’t afford the trip overseas.