Monday, February 28, 2011
"And the relics of a Church shall be rescued"---Article from New York Times
I really like this article. It briefly details the struggle to keep relics of the church venerated and in holy surroundings. Though relics and churches are sacred artifacts and spiritual places, they still are contained in a unholy world.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I can see how this would upset people from orthodox churches. These relics are to be venerated and respected, they bring these people another outlet to imagine the divine. Putting these relics up in pubs and casinos is disrespecting them and putting them in a place that represents anything but the divine or holy.
ReplyDeleteI like the quote by Father Butler that concludes the article: "[The relics] are like our family pictures. When you move, you take the pictures off the wall and move to the next place." It is true that there are hundreds of churches, synagogues, and parishes filling the United States. Many of these holy places are full of beautiful and ornate relics. Unfortunately, at certain time, many of these places of worship are shut down, leaving people unsure as to how to handle the relics within. The reason why I have a problem with relics simply being sold is because of the extreme significance they hold and will continue to hold as time progresses. Just because there is no one there to enjoy them, does not mean that they lose their significance and value. Relics are valuable because people believe them to be that way. Those who appreciate relics and who have relics as a regular part of their worship will always believe that they are more than a mere object. Therefore, I believe that even if a relic had been placed in a forest in the middle of nowhere, it would still be considered an object through which one can connect more deeply with the divine.
ReplyDelete