Relic

per fr. Barnes lecture 3/23/24 << lecutre on the relics of the passion

Relics of Saints

• First Class
  • part of the Saint's body
  • there is nothing of the Lord
    • but things w/ his blood stains
    • might be called "relics of the passion"
• Second Class
  • associated with the life of a Saint, or

• Third Class
• 4-5 pieces of bone here at STM

physical reminders of holiness > touching the cloak of Jesus healed people Acts: being in the shadow of Peter healed somebody

serve as memories, like a family heirloom

largest collections of relics are in Jerusalem and Rome,

Scourging of the Lord

Pillar of scourging

per Jn: was in the praetorium

the pillar was kept, now in Rome

• 2-1/2-3 ft tall (65 cm)
• marble
  • possibly from Egypt, which would have symbolism
  • not certain but if true, slavery to sin
• the pillar was to keep prisoners upright, tied to the top
  • to inflict maximum punishment
• possible that Caiphus scourged him a second time
  • ambiguous, "beaten"
  • but there was another pillar thought to exist from Caiaphus
  • at Church of Holy Spec... ?

Shroud of Turin

• the cloth
• shows wounds inflicted by two soldiers

Scouraging

• Pilate knew he was not a criminal, that he was innocent
• but wanted to appease the crowd, so ordered the scourging
  • so was a political act
  • wanted to maintain his authority
  • so split the difference
  • but it only increased the crowd's bloodlust
• the beating itself was cruel
  • could kill people
• evidence shows his flesh was torn head to toe
  • the rods were covered with ___ to would catch his skin and flesh
• this is the most gruesome and disfiguring part of the Passion
  • loss of blood greatest at scourging
  • crucifixion was designed to kill people slowly
  • death was by ultimate asphyxiation not blood loss
• Pope Benedict
  • the point of the scourging was to make the flesh hang down
• Stations of the Cross
  • his weakened state, unable to carry the cross
• the Lord did not resist any of these punishments
  • Isa 52 ... "so marred was his look beyond human semblance"
  • by those stripes we were healed
  • lamb led to the slaughter
  • he was silent << didn't resist
  • << the prophesy came true
• violence against the innocent not uncommon
• JPII said "Oh my jesus, how cruelly bound you were to the pillar..
  • penalty for our sins

Crown of Thorns

• held at Notre Dame, Paris
  • for about 800 years
• not a woven crown more like a cap that covered the head
• had thorns, twigs,
  • had about 60 thorns
• taken away by a witness
• St. Paulinus described it as a
• materials in it are from
• used for mocking, humiliation
  • called him "king of the jews" so they were aware of what they were saying
  • there was a wicked enjoyment in it by the soldiers
  • possible that they tried to outdo one another

• likely not placed on his head lightly
  • stayed on him carrying the cross and on the cross
  • the face bleeds alot
• they put on/off a robe , which probably was painful on his wounds
  • purple: to mock him
  • after Resurrection, Jesus told Peter, "when you were younger, you used to dress yourself..."
    • Jesus was dressed by the soldiers... he endured
    • Peter crucified upside down
    • his bones are under the Basilica in Rome
    • when rediscovered thye had purple cloth around them

he didn't stop it bc he was powerless, but bc he accepted it

• presentation by Pilate of the crowd
  • JPII spoke about it
    • the price paid for dignity is the blood of the son of God
  • Benedict:
    • Jesus' inner most dignity cannot be taken from him.. the hidden God remains in
    • in the throes of his Passion Jesus = hope
    • God is on the side of those who suffer
      • = the suffering is not the final word
• put his garments back on

Veil of Veronica

• Sixth Station of the Cross
• along the way, while he was carrying the cross
• she wipes his face, and it is left on the veil
• = the face of the suffering
• Montepello, Italy now
• was in Rome and was the most popular medieval pilgrimage site
• studies show that the shroud and the veil have images of the same person
• the fabric is ancient, was an expensive cloth
  • honors the Lord with her best cloth
  • (Fr. B: says priestly vestments are made of fine cloth to honor God)
  • very thin, as thin as a spiderweb
• it is mentioned in the OT and Revelation
  • OT:
  • Bride of Christ
• was probably stolen during 2nd construction of St. Peter's Basilica, ended up in Montepello
• a '93 image shows
  • unusually thin
  • transparent, can read a newspaper behind it
  • image becomes invisible under UV / black light
    • therefore it is not a painting, not ink or printing
    • so the image is the result of an internal change in the fiber
    • reflects light
    • the image cannot be captured by a photograph
  • so it is miraculous
  • can't be appreciated unless seen in person
• the moment:
  • Lord was carrying the cross
  • people all around, soldiers
  • and she wipes his face... an act of courage
    • wanted to console the Lord
    • she put away her fears and reached out to him in love
    • reminder to us that every time we see someone suffering, we see the face of the Lord
    • Mt 25: when you saw suffering you saw the Lord
    • she acted out of compassion and love for the Lord
      • = example
• no one has seen the face of God
  • but we have seen the face of Jesus, our Lord
• note: Only John showed up at the Cross, and was the only one not martyred

Other Relics of the Passion

Holy Stairs

• from pilate's palace
• Jesus walked up these stairs w/ Pilate after the scourging
• there are blood stains on the stairs (made of marble)
• Constantine's mother, St. Helena, wanted to bring items from Jerusalem to Rome
• in a church across from St. John Laterin
• we can climb the same steps, although not directly on them
  • can see the blood stains
  • can only climb on your knees
  • we are not worthy to walk up them
  • say a prayer at each step
  • Fr. B: did it a few times
    • says it's a reminder about getting through suffering

Santa Croce in Jerusalem Church in Rome

• has dirt from Golgatha
• from the ground
• has a piece of the True Cross
  • also has a piece of the cross of the good thief
  • his name by tradition is Saint >>
• the inscription of "King of the Jews"
• "titulus" was preserved
• a few thorns from the Crown of Thorns
• have the nails he was crucified with
  • quite large and thick

St. Peter's: the Holy Lance

• Christ died relatively quickly on the Cross
  • 3 hrs, shorter than normal
  • was so weakened
• the lance that was used to pierce his side
• St. Longinus was the Centurion
  • the spear tip survives
  • was stolen and ransomed by a Sultan
  • so the Christians kidnapped his brother, but if you keep him I'll give you back the spear tip

Tomb of Chirst

• Holy Sepucler church
• marks the mystery of Easter, by which the Lord transformed death into life
• the wounds which he showed after Resurrection, St. Thomas Aquinas