Sometimes it is better for our own peace of mind to relinquish the past and move into the present. Does it really matter where the bones of St. Nicholas are kept? Does it matter where pieces of the true cross have been distributed? What does matter is that proper reverence and due respect are given to these objects. Italy is not that far from Greece or Turkey. In an age of high speed rail and aviation, a truly devoted individual could certainly make a pilgrimage to visit these relics. Perhaps it was the will of the saint that his name be elevated in the west where he could bring more souls to our Lord. Who are we to bicker over saintly remains.
I am reminded of the skull of St. Maron. There is no saint more precious to the Maronites than him for their church bears his name.
St. Maroun died around 410 A.D. and willed to be buried in St. Zabina’s tomb in Kita in the region of Cyrrhus. However, his will was not executed because people from different villages wanted to have him buried in their towns. Theodoret’s description of St. Maroun’s burial place<.4) points to the populous town of Barad in the proximity of Kfarnabo. A huge church was built in that town around the beginning of the fifth century A.D. (25).
Inside this church there was a sarcophagus, which possibly contained St. Maroun’s body. According to a Maronite tradition, the followers of St. Maroun carried the relics of the Saint, especially the skull, to St. Maroun’s Monastery or "Beit Maroun" built in 452 A.D. between Hama and Aleppo in Syria.
Relic of SaintThe skull was carried to St. Maroun’s Monastery in Kfarhai, Batroun - Lebanon around the turn of the eighth century. Patriarch Douaihy mentions: "When Youhanna (John) Maroun settled in Kfarhai, he built an altar and a monastery after St. Maroun’s name and put St. Maroun’s skull inside the altar to heal the faithful. That’s why the monastery is called "Rish Mro" (Syriac) meaning "Maroun’s head"(26) .
Later, St. Maroun’s skull was taken to Italy. In 1130 A.D. one of the Benedictine monks came tc the region. This monk was the rector of the Cross Afonastery near Foligno-Italy. During his visit he heard about St. Maroun’s skull, and upon retuming home he publicized St. Maroun’s virtues. As a matter of fact, a church was built after St. Maroun’s name in Foligno. The Bishop of Foligno carried the skull to the city in 1194 A.D. and put it in the church of the diocese. The faithful in the city made a statue of silver for St. Maroun and put the skull in it. During his stay in Italy in 1887, Bishop Youssef el-Debs was given some relics of St. Maroun’s skull by the Bishop of Foligno(27).
I have never heard anyone complain about this transferral of their beloved saint's skull to Italy. If anything, they are grateful that his name has become known in the West.
NYer, its got to do with honesty and respect, not distance from Greece or Myra.