Relics on tour

[Nick Baty]

Yesterday I was at the lunchtime Mass at Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral to mark the "visit" of the heart of St John Vianney, the Curé of Ars. No, not my kind of thing at all. But the 1600-strong congregation, and the hundreds more who had been queueing up to venerate the relic throughout the morning, obviously thought differently.

Am I right in thinking that relic roadshows are a modern phenomenon? I know that Oliver Plunkett's head was taken to Coventry for the Papal Mass in 1982. But that aside, I always thought relics were something one visited in situ.

In recent years we've had St Therese's bones on world tour, the body of Pier Giorgio Frassati was present at the Sydney World Youth Day and the Brazil WYD will have the remains of Fra Galvao. And now the Curé. So is this a new trend?

And is there a psychologist or anthropologist out there who can tell me why 2,700 people queued up to venerate St John Vianney's heart in Wythenshaw on Thursday evening?

[alan29]

I thought the merit was in the journey. Does getting on the number 17 bus count?

[Nick Baty]

That would take you to Anfield – and lots of people go on pilgrimage there!

[alan29]

And for the relics in the trophy room too........ must touch Stevie's shirt.

[Southern Comfort]

I know that Oliver Plunkett's head was taken to Coventry for the Papal Mass in 1982.

I'm afraid it wasn't. But it was airlifted by helicopter to Drogheda in (I am fairly sure) 1980, to be reunited with its body, so to speak, after a farewell Mass on Clapham Common (the head had been kept there by the Redemptorists for many years). The late lamented Martin Hall was in charge of the music on that occasion, and I am told that it was deemed too dangerous for the helicopter to land so the head was winched up to the hovering aircraft to the accompaniment of the final hymn. Even if not true, it's a good story. As far as I am aware, the head of St Oliver has not moved again since then.

Nick, perhaps you are thinking of the statue of Our Lady of Walsingham being brought to Wembley Stadium for the 1982 Papal Mass there?

[Nick Baty]

Thanks, SC. I think I was getting things mixed up. Oliver Plunkett's body was indeed moved – in style. That aside, I'm wondering if what we're seeing now is a new phenomenon or the revival of an old one.

[JW]

Must dig up my mum and take her to Sevenoaks so the grandchildren can pay their respects!

[Nick Baty]

Not sure you're allowed to do that: Something in Catholic teaching about respect for the body....

[JW]

Exactly.

[Peter Jones]

I have seen (and venerated) the head of Catherine of Siena - in Siena - and the rest of her in Rome. There's lots of bits and pieces of saints all over Rome - and indeed in my sacristy safe. Only very small bits in the safe though. They get an airing on 1st November. No one comes on pilgrimage though.

Do you think the Cistercians of Hailes Abbey were operating a scam? http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/properties/hailes-abbey/
Pilgrims = money

[Peter Jones]

Mind you, Hailes Abbey has nothing on this:

http://www.therealpresence.org/eucharst/mir/lanciano.html

Bit disquieting, don't you think?

[Peter Jones]

Of course, as some priests in their eighties are now having to celebrate in two churches on a Sunday, we already have living, holy relics on tour each weekend.

[Nick Baty]

Not far from here we have the hand of St Edmund Arrowsmith, saved from the butcher's block at his execution – makes sense that someone prevented it being thrown away. But John's Vianney's heart was taken from his body many years later – and I really, really don't get that bit.

[Nick Baty]

There were several French items at the Liverpool Mass:
Come down, O love divine
Omnes gentes plaudite manibus – Chant
(Old) Lourdes Gloria
Ps 116: Go out to the whole world – Anon (but sounded a tad Duffy)
Alleluia – Plainsong
Cantique de Jean Raçine – Fauré
Lourdes Sanctus (but with Missal tones for Acclamation and Amen)
Pater Noster – Chant
Agnus Dei XVIII
Inclina aurem tuam – Chant
Ave Verum – Elgar
O Praise ye the Lord
Holy light on earth's horizon (couldn't quite work out why this was here!)

[JW]

There was also the issue with the attempted exhumation (against his express wish) of Bl. J H Newman's body in 2008. This led to some adverse publicity for the church thanks to P Tatchell.