Jesus Relics at Church in Chicago on Display From the Scene of Christ's Birth
Ancient relics from the time of Jesus Christ are available for public viewing at the Holy Family Church in Chicago.
The religious artifacts given to the Roman Catholic Church that were unveiled on Sunday include pieces from the manger at Jesus birth, the veil of the Virgin Mary, and a thread from St. Joseph's cloak.
In honor of Holy Family Church's 155th anniversary, the reliquary has been given to the church as a gift. Their first parish home was at the shrine of Our Lady of Pompeii in Chicago.
Church leader Rev. Jeremiah Boland commented on the relics and their connection to the story of Christmas.
"The Holy Family is not just a pretty statue or something you see on a Christmas card," Boland said, as reported by The Chicago Tribune. "The Holy Family was an actual family that our Lord was born into. It helps to make it more real that way."
The artifacts were certified authentic by the Vatican in 1972, who conduct their own tests to prove they are the real deal. However, official scientific tests have not been done on the pieces through carbon testing.
"We'll never get anywhere with that," Boland said, commenting on the lapse of scientific testing done on the religious items. "These are objects of faith and devotion."
Boland added that the relic from the manger has even "more authenticity," because it was brought to the Vatican from the Holy Land in the 5th century, according to The Huffington Post.
"One could argue how real the relics of Mary or Joseph are, but there were all sorts of objects over the centuries that have been venerated and are based on faith rather than scientific explanation," Bolan said.
The fragments will be placed on display in a crystal reliquary, which is the normal vessel used to preserve relics of saints.
Holy Family Church, built in 1857, not only survived the Great Chicago Fire but a blaze in 2003.
