One might well ask:  where did the custom come from and why would anyone want to see a relic or venerate part of a dead body? In the Book of Exodus (13:19), we are told that upon leaving Egypt, Moses took the bones of Joseph with him on the journey to the Promised Land. While in the New Testament, after John the Baptist was beheaded, the disciples came and buried his body. In the same way, the body of Jesus was wrapped in perfumed cloths and placed in a tomb. The early days of Christianity saw countless men and women martyred for their faith. In a letter dating from 156 AD, the inhabitants of Smyrna described the death of one such martyr, St. Polycarp. After he was burned at the stake, his disciples “took up his bones, which are more valuable than precious stones and finer than refined gold, and laid them in a suitable place, where the Lord will permit us to gather ourselves together, as we are able, in gladness and joy, and to celebrate the birthday of his martyrdom.” Similarly, in cities like Rome, early Christians gathered together in the catacombs, the burial places of the martyrs, to celebrate Mass and pray for the intercession of these powerful witnesses of faith. 

According to St. Thomas Aquinas, “Hence, while we love and venerate the saints who were so dear to God, we also venerate all that belonged to them, and particularly their bodies, which were once the temples of the Holy Spirit, and which are some day to be conformed to the glorious body of Jesus Christ, whence also, God fittingly does honor to such relics by performing miracles in their presence.” So, not only does St. Thomas assert the practice of the veneration of relics but also miracles associated with them. The saints have always been regarded as “friends of God.” It was through relics that living Christians could seek the patronage and the help of the saints who was known to be in heaven. The Council of Trent stated: “the holy bodies of holy martyrs and of others now living with Christ—which bodies were the living members of Christ and 'the temple of the Holy Ghost' and which are by Him to be raised to eternal life and to be glorified are to be venerated by the faithful, for through these bodies many benefits are bestowed by God on men.” 

Throughout the history of Christianity, great churches were built over the sites of the graves of martyrs and saints. It was believed that anything that touched the tomb became an object of blessing. Over time, smaller parts of the bodies were specifically separated for the purpose of veneration. Minute fragments of a saint’s bone were placed in slabs of stone and placed in newly consecrated altars in churches throughout the world. The greatest respect was shown for the bodies of the dead and before any body was unwrapped or touched, it was preceded by a period of prayer and fasting. Oftentimes, the relics of saints were carried in procession and on pilgrimage, so that more people could venerate these special friends of God. Within the Catholic Church, relics have been classified in degrees. First class relics are the remains of the bodies of saints, for example, bones, hair or blood.  Second class relics are usually objects used by the saint in life, especially articles of their clothing or other objects especially associated with them. Third class relics are objects, usually small pieces of cloth, which have come into contact with first class relics or which have come into contact with the saints’ tombs. The relic of St. Mary Magdalene that will be venerated at Holy Spirit is a first class relic. Her relic is not a mere symbol of the saint, but the continued physical presence of the saint in the world. In a certain sense, the relic of a saint unites heaven and earth. By venerating a saint’s relic, we know that they are in heaven interceding for us, as we continue our journey through life here on earth. By venerating the relic of St. Mary Magdalene, we honor a woman who experienced fully the mercy of Christ and who devoted her life to Him. It was this same Lord who chose to show Himself after the Resurrection to this repentant sinner. May we be inspired by her example and aided by her intercession so that we might give our lives totally to Jesus Christ.