A Relic from Life

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A post over at Lesser of Two Weevils got me to thinking about relics and about the fact that this Pope thought for the future and prepared a marvelous relic or sort of relic himself.

At the end of the "Treasure of the Vatican" Exhibition is a bronze cast of the Pope's hand. It was the only piece of art you were allowed to touch, and it was a thrill, even when he was alive to be able to touch it, to shake hands as it were with this great pontiff. If you all get a chance, if it is still touring, go and see. Meet and greet the Pope and give him your most cheerful salutation. We are so fortunate to have such a forward thinking man as our guide through this life. He even thought ahead to living us so substantial a reminder of himself!

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3 Comments

There's also a bronze cast of his hand at the John Paul II Cultural Center in Washington.

Dear Tom,

This looks very much like the one I saw, I think. Although I seem to remember that you could actually hold/shake this hand. But honestly, I could be imagining that at this remove.

Thanks for the reference. I wonder, if he were to become a saint, whether something of this nature would be classed as a relic, and if so, of what class.

shalom,

Steven

Wouldn't it be second class - something the saint had touched.

First is their body.

Third is something touched to second class.

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This page contains a single entry by Steven Riddle published on April 6, 2005 8:57 AM.

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