Images and Relics of the Saints

Catholic Christians operate from an Incarnational Principle: they sometimes make use of statues, images, medals, relics, and other objects to call to mind their relationship with the communion of saints of the past. These "religious objects" are used to simply recall to mind the example of a particular saint and to remind us of their nearness to God and their power to intercede for us on earth.

Mk 5:27-29
She (the woman with a hemorrhage) had heard about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak. She said, "If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured." Immediately her flow of blood dried up.
Acts 5:15
Thus they even carried the sick out into the streets and laid them on cots and mats so that when Peter came by, at least his shadow might fall on one or another of them.
Acts 19:11-12
So extraordinary were the mighty deeds God accomplished at the hands of Paul that when face cloths or aprons that touched his skin were applied to the sick, their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them.

The Incorruptibles

As an affirmation to our faith, and not the reason we believe, we recognize miraculous events concerning the bodies of some saints whose souls have gone to be with the Lord. The physical remains of some saints have been preserved in physical states not in the common natural order. Some saints whose bodies have been preserved without artificial means include: St. Bernadette Soubirous, St. Catherine Laboure, St. John Vianney, Sr. Theresa Margaret, St. Catherine of Sienna, St. Francis Xavier, St. Louise de Marillac, and Blessed John XXIII.


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By Paul Flanagan and Robert Schihl.
Catholic Biblical Apologetics, © Copyright 1985-2004, Paul Flanagan and Robert Schihl

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture texts are taken from the New American Bible with Revised New Testament and Revised Psalms © 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, D.C. and are used by permission of the copyright owner. All Rights Reserved. No part of the New American Bible may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

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Last Updated: September 17, 2004