Interesting analogy about not scattering limbs & pieces in the woods.
However, it did bring up a question in my mind about Saints bones being kept in different churches.
Wife’s father asked that his ashes be sprinkled into the Lake of the Ozarks.
Indeed the practice of the sacred “reliquaries” as proof of sainthood or physical proof for belief— exactly like “doubting Thomas” their way to deal with the masses doubting.
Sales, inotherwords.
That's an interesting question that you've raised.
Good point.
I wonder why Saints are exempt from the rules of the Church.
My mind immediately had similar questions regarding saints and relics. In the comments following the article, Pope did address the issue a bit. He wrote:
“Over on Facebook I was asked why the practice of using relics does not also offend against the usual Catholic norms. Regarding relics let us remember: the practice is rare, their whole body isn’t dispersed (only a relatively small amount of fragments of bone or hair). Such relics are to be venerated and placed in areas of religious devotion in Churches, chapels and (rarely) in homes. But they are not put to be put in closets, merely displayed on fireplaces, strewn in fields and forests, or made into jewelry. If one has possession of a first class relic they do not venerate, they ought to return it to the local diocese so a place can be identified where such veneration and respect can be given. Finally, such veneration is only permitted in rare cases of canonized saints, as such the practice is an anomaly and should not set the norm for how we treat all bodies.”
He later added:
“Please see my reply above in this thread regarding this matter. I don’t think it is far to say that saints bodies are “divided” or that the Saints bodies are not “intact” Rather, at least in the past centuries, since rules and limits were placed on PAST excesses and there were excesses), only small fragments of bone or hair are dispensed and only for canonized saints who had been buried prior to their canonization and whose bodies ARE largely intact. Part of the whole battle over the body of Fulton Sheen revolves around the modern norms that bodies are not to be divided up and put in different places as sometimes happened in the early centuries. I think Peoria can and should be Sheen’s resting place in the future (since he was under-appreciated by the Archdiocese of NY in his day…but I digress). If relics are dispensed they will be only a small portion of the body. The same is true with Saint JPII. His body is still intact in Rome. Though a small number of relics have been dispensed. But it is not fair to say that “body parts” are being sent around.”
A church is considered hallowed, as if the person were in a cemetery mausoleum. The relics have to be encased and sealed, not just for preservation but with a seal specially made, ensuring proper identification and authenticity.