Posted on 04/28/2011 8:58:52 AM PDT by Alex Murphy
A vial of blood of the late Pope John Paul II will go on display at his beatification ceremony this Sunday and be available for veneration, the Vatican announced Tuesday.
Four containers of blood were taken from the pope during the last days of his life in 2005 in case they were needed during a transfusion, AFP reports. The blood, which was held at the Vatican's Bambino Gesu hospital in Rome, was never used and has remained in a liquid state due to an anti-coagulant in the containers.
Two of the vials have been kept by Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz, who was the late pontiff's personal secretary and is now the archbishop of Krakow, and the other two remain at the hospital, AFP states.
The hospital's vial that will be on display Sunday will then be kept with other relics at the Vatican, the Guardian reports.
More than 50 heads of state and several hundred thousand pilgrims will be in Rome Sunday for the beatification ceremony, it states. Beatification is the final stage before possible sainthood.
However, the decision to display the pope's relics has also been met with some reservations, the Independent reported in January.
John Paul II died on April 2, 2005, after nearly three decades as pope. He was 84.
I can’t see anything right, good, or biblical about this.
You have to ask yourself... Why the blood? The only blood... was that shed on the cross for our salvation. ‘Venerating’ any other would border on blasphemy. I find this more than disturbing.
Sick!
Gross...and offensive to the blood of Jesus, the only One worthy of our devotion, as stated in the book of Revelation.
Damned creepy.
AMEN!
NOTHING BUT THE BLOOD/WASHED IN THE BLOOD
Kelly Willard, from her album Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs
What can wash away my sin
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
What can make me whole again
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
CHORUS
Oh precious is the flow
That makes me white as snow
No other fount I know
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
This is all my righteousness
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
This is all my hope and peace
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
CHORUS
Oh precious is the flow
That makes me white as snow
No other fount I know
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
Have you been to Jesus for the cleansing power
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb
Are you fully trusting in His grace this hour
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb
Lay aside the garments that are stained with sin
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb
Theres a fountain flowing for the soul unclean
Oh be washed in the blood of the Lamb
CHORUS
Are you washed in the blood
In the soul cleansing blood of the Lamb
Are your garments spotless
are they white as snow
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb
Are you washed in the blood
In the soul cleansing blood of the Lamb
Are your garments spotless
are they white as snow
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb
CHORUS
Oh precious is the flow
That makes me white as snow
No other fount I know
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
“Simply” creepy, works for me, too.
I find EVERYTHING that the Catholic church has done, throughout history, and continues to do to be disturbing. It’s history of hijacking the truth of the gospel, rewriting it, and then presenting it as the ONLY true interpretation of scripture is so very sad. They have made up the “rules” as they have gone along.
Rom 8:34 “Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.”
Why is that Catholics think it is NOT blasphemous to pray to these “saints” (sinners who Christ had to die for)when scripture (see above) clearly states the Jesus is already on the job.
That’s my rant!
I find EVERYTHING that the Catholic church has done, throughout history, and continues to do to be disturbing. It’s history of hijacking the truth of the gospel, rewriting it, and then presenting it as the ONLY true interpretation of scripture is so very sad. They have made up the “rules” as they have gone along.
Rom 8:34 “Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.”
Why is that Catholics think it is NOT blasphemous to pray to these “saints” (sinners who Christ had to die for)when scripture (see above) clearly states the Jesus is already on the job.
That’s my rant!
Papa John: Better ingredients, better relics.
I just have to ask (politely) the Catholic members of FR why this is done. Why the saving/veneration of blood of John Paul and blood and/or bones of others who were designated as saints? Not yelling; just asking.
I find EVERYTHING that the Catholic church has done, throughout history, and continues to do to be disturbing. It’s history of hijacking the truth of the gospel, rewriting it, and then presenting it as the ONLY true interpretation of scripture is so very sad. They have made up the “rules” as they have gone along.
Rom 8:34 “Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.”
Why is that Catholics think it is NOT blasphemous to pray to these “saints” (sinners who Christ had to die for)when scripture (see above) clearly states the Jesus is already on the job.
That’s my rant!
Pecos:
Veneration of Saints, Icons and Relics is part of both the Catholic and Orthodox Tradition and was clearly dogmatized at the 2nd Council of Nicea in 787. Now, while if was formally dogmatized at that Council, the practice of Venerating Relics goes back to the early 2nd Century in Church History as documented in the Martyrdom of St. Polycarp, who was a disciple of ST. John the Apostle and every Scholar of Church History correctly ranks him among the Apostolic Fathers along with St. Clement of Rome, St. Ignatius of Antioch
The relevant sections of the Maryrdom of St. Polycarp are included below and the link, also included below, is the entire work based on the translatoin done by the well known Anglican Patristic Scholar, J.B. Lightfoot.
Polycarp 18:2
And so we afterwards took up his bones which are more valuable than precious stones and finer than refined gold, and laid them in a suitable place;
Polycarp 18:3
where the Lord will permit us to gather ourselves together, as we are able, in gladness and joy, and to celebrate the birth-day of his martyrdom for the commemoration of those that have already fought in the contest, and for the training and preparation of those that shall do so hereafter.
http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/martyrdompolycarp-lightfoot.html
Veneration, I am well aware is not found in Calvinism, but it clearly was a Liturgical and Devotional practice of the Early Church from way back and when done in it proper context, is a part of orthodox Apostolic Tradition. Does some forms of Veneration get misguided, I think yes, but that is “misguided Veneration” and does not refute proper Veneration of Saints, Icons, Relics, etc.
For a more authentic teaching on Veneration of Icons, Relics, etc, see Link below from the CCC, especially paragraphs 2130-2132.
http://www.scborromeo.org/mobileccc/p3s2c1a1.htm#IV
Anyway, you asked for a Catholic Answer to provide and explanation, so here it is.
Thanks for the link to that blog. I was not familiar with it.
“If anyone, on the other hand, were to disregard the worship of God in favour of devotion to the Saints, he would be making a serious mistake. A person who goes into a church and rushes over to a statue of the Blessed Virgin or of one of the Saints, without giving a thought to the living and real presence of Jesus in the Blessed Eucharist, is developing a false and sentimental piety.”
You are confusing devotion with adoration. It is common fault of certain sects.
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