From the Parish Priest – Fr. Romey Rosco
We are blessed to have in our church relics of St. John Chrysostom, St. Damian the Healer, St. John the Faster, and other saints. And after the Divine Liturgy it is beautiful to see parishioners venerating them also, as they come forward to venerate the icon and cross.
The word “relic” comes from a Latin word which means “remains.” Keeping an article of clothing, a lock of hair or a small item used by a loved one is a way of remembering them, a personal “link” with them, something that physically remains with us. The body itself is a relic; that’s why we visit the graves of friends and relatives.
The Orthodox Church considers the relic of a saint to be helpful in remembering that holy person. They remind us that we are indeed one with the saints as we worship the Lord. The saints share with us their worship of God because together we love Him and one another in His Name.
Relics are never to be used like “charms,” as if they have some mysterious powers in themselves. Any miracle worked through sincere veneration of a relic or an icon is God’s miracle. Worship and glory are to be given only to Him.
From The Weekly Bulletin, Vol. XXXVIII No. 43, 23 October 2011
Sts. Peter & Paul Romanian Orthodox Church, Dearborn Heights MI
