07-003
Third class relic prayer cards
In my last
post, I talked about prayer cards and how did I start collecting them. It was
all because of something selling on Etsy that caught my eyes. But I have not
mentioned what I have seen in my last post. So, what it is? It is a pack of 49
assorted third class relic prayer cards.
Third class relic prayer cards
The seller is
DNJC.org. According to their website, “DNJC.org is an international ministry
dedicated to spreading the Good News of Our Lord Jesus Christ by promoting the
veneration of His relics and those of His saints. We believe one of the best
ways of doing this is making the relics available for public veneration and
through the distribution of Third Class Relics, such as holy cards, at little
to no charge.”
Cards are nicely printed with identical sizes
It is true.
With just 32 bucks, you can get a pack of nicely printed palm size prayer
cards. “Cards are printed on thick 14-16pt card stock then UV gloss coated to
give them a laminated feel. Finished size is 2.75 inches by 4.25 inches.”,
according to their description. All 49 cards bear a different image with no
repeats. And most importantly, all cards have undergone a very special process
done by human hand, one by one. What process? Don’t worry. I will tell you. But
before that, let us talk about what exactly is a relic.
Relic, what is
it?
In general
culture, relics are belongings of a deceased. For example, my father left me
his Rolex. That watch is a relic of my dad. However, the term “relic” in
Christianity have a slightly different meaning.
Relics in
Christianity do not refer to the belongings of an ordinary person. They normally
refer to someone prominent, typically a Biblical figure, a Catholic saint or a
priest. Some of the Catholic relics are even related to Jesus himself.
Also, relics do
not only mean belongings. They also refer to the remains of a person, i.e. parts
of his or her body, such as bone, hair or blood. And relics are further
classified into 3 or 4 classes.
Classes of
relics
First class
relic is the “highest” form of relic. It refers to a piece of the body of the
saint—including bones, hair, etc. This class also includes relics of Christ’s
Passion, such as pieces of the True Cross.
Second class
relics are items that belonged to or were used by the saint, such as clothing,
books, and rosaries, or an instrument used in the torture or death of a martyr.
Third class
relics are items—such as a rosary, piece of cloth, or prayer card—that have
been touched to a first or second class relic. In many cases these are pieces
of cloth or paper. These relics are sometimes referred to as “ex indumentis”
which technically translated means from the clothing.
Some people further classify items that have been touched to a first class relic as third class and those have only been touched to a second class relic as fourth class.
Owning a piece of relic at home
First class relics are rare and extremely sacred. They are kept inside the Vatican or churches, sometimes being placed in an altar stone. Some relics, both first and second classes, are displayed, normally inside reliquaries or ornate boxes, for public veneration. A few relics are kept inside museums.
Buying and selling of relics can be dated back to the Middle ages as relics brought in pilgrimage, thus economy. The faithful believe that being near a relic of a saint can help strengthen faith, heal mental and physical ailments, and protect against the evil eye. Some may like to own a piece of relic in their homes for the purpose of creating a sanctuary in the midst of a harried and busy world.
The catholic church prohibits selling of first and second class relics but trading still happens everywhere. In fact, a piece of first class relic may be rare, second class relic often comes in large quantity. For example, a towel used by a saint can be cut into thousands of pieces and each individual piece is still considered as a second class relic.
Trading either happens publicly against the canon law of the Catholic church or does under a workaround. Local parishes running low of funds may seek ways to “convert” some of their not-so-rare relics into money. They are not selling them directly. They are not allowed to do that. Instead, they give away the relic for free but they charge for the container.
Third class relic prayer cards
As life is always busy in my hometown, I would also like to spare a little corner in my bedroom to create my own sanctuary. A piece of relics would definitely set the tone. However, I have full respect to the Catholic church and do not want to violate the decision of the Vatican, even though I am not a Catholic. But third class relics are permissible for trading.
On the other side, some cards have a stamp
showing the cards have been touched to a relic (left).
Some cards have a label (middle)
and on some cards, the note is pre-printed (right).
The prayer cards sold by DNJC.org are third class relics. A priest physically placed each card in contact to the associated relics as pictured. So, 49 pieces of third class relics for just 32 bucks is actually a bargain!
Relic veneration, my point of view
Many protestant
churches oppose the idea of relic veneration, claiming that as nothing but
modern day idolatry. Others, including Catholics, doubt the authenticity of the
relics. As a Protestant Christian myself, I however remain open to relic
veneration.
Making your own third class relics here!
The woman was placing icons and prayer cards on
the Stone of Unction in The Holy Sepulchre.
This stone is a first class relic and anything touching it
will become a third class relic.
I have also placed my hand on the stone.
Am I a third class relic?
I believe any
religious practice that can enhance the relationship of human and God should be
respected. In reality, it is also difficult to judge whether a nun praying to a
relic is actually seeking help from the relic itself or just trying to get a
tighter grip on her faith through the help of a relic.
I prefer not to
judge without certainty.
Go back to the Lobby ...
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