Display of over 500 relics at NJ oratory a chance to 'feel inspired' by saints, says priest

MONTCLAIR, N.J. (OSV News) -- The rector of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Oratory in Montclair sees an upcoming one-day exhibit at the church featuring hundreds of sacred relics as "a blessing from God."

"I've never heard of an event having so many relics in one place," Father Giandomenico Flora said ahead of the April 5 display of over 500 sacred relics of Jesus Christ, the Holy Family, and numerous saints, martyrs and blesseds.

"It's a chance to ask the saints for their intercession, but it's also an opportunity to feel inspired by their lives," the priest said. "The saints were ordinary people who did extraordinary things for the world. Their relics remind us that we can all follow their example -- everyone has the potential to be holy."

The exhibit, which takes place in the church hall from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., is being presented by Joseph Santoro, the International Crusade for Holy Relics' regional delegate to the U.S.
It will feature several authenticated artifacts related to Christ's passion, according to a news release from the Archdiocese of Newark.

"Notable items will include a piece of the sponge Jesus drank from and part of the 'King of the Jews' sign that hung on the Cross," the release said. "Other items connected to holy figures, such as a fragment of the Virgin Mary's veil, will also be displayed."

In addition, Santoro, who serves as the external program director for the National Center for Padre Pio, will showcase rare relics of Padre Pio currently touring the nation, including one of his gloves, feathers from the pillow he died on and a large portion of his bloodstained shirt.

"I hope this exhibit helps people renew their faith, rejuvenate their devotion and return to church regularly," Santoro said. "There's no better way to spend Lent than by going on a spiritual journey with our great intercessors -- the saints."

"People come, they cry, they walk on their knees, they pray. They are looking for a miracle, for hope," Santoro told Jersey Catholic, Newark's archdiocesan online news outlet.

Father Flora said he and his parish have been preparing for the event for weeks. Volunteers will watch over the relics displayed in the church hall and outside in tents -- to accommodate those with disabilities -- while the church will be open for confessions, reflection and prayer.

For some people, the display and veneration of relics is one of the oddest aspects of Catholicism, but the practice has a long tradition in the church.

The word relic comes from the Latin "reliquere," meaning "to leave behind."

There are three classes of relics: First-class relics consist of the physical remains of saints, like particles of bone or strands of hair. An object used or worn by a saint, such as a pen or an article of clothing, would be a second-class relic. Finally, if a rosary or piece of cloth is touched to a first- or second-class relic, that item becomes a third-class relic.

The archdiocese said visitors will be restricted from physically touching the relics on display April 5 but are encouraged to place personal items against the reliquaries surrounding them. Those third-class relics that then be prayed with at home.

"Visitors are also encouraged to hold photos of loved ones against the glass, symbolically entrusting them to the religious figure's care," the news release said.

After venerating the relics, guests are invited to go to confession and pray the rosary and Divine Mercy Chaplet in the nave. They are also welcome to attend the oratory's regular Saturday evening Mass celebrated at 4:30 p.m.

This is the second time Our Lady of Mount Carmel Oratory has hosted an exhibit featuring over 200 sacred relics from Santoro's collection. More than 3,500 people came from across the Northeast for last year’s event, with at least one family traveling all the way from Maine to see the relics.

Even more visitors are expected to come this year.

This year's event has special significance since Catholics in the 2025 Jubilee Year have been invited by Pope Francis to become "Pilgrims of Hope."

Santoro told Jersey Catholic he hopes the exhibit will help bring a "renewal of faith" to those attending, emphasizing that the relic events he organizes also rejuvenate his own soul.

According to the archdiocese, Santoro has spent nearly $250,000 accruing hundreds of holy artifacts for the International Crusade for Holy Relics' mission of preserving relics and promoting their veneration.

Many of the items were purchased through online auctions to prevent them from being acquired by private buyers, it said. The Catholic Church prohibits the sale of sacred objects. Most were donated by priests, shrines, the Vatican and others interested "in sharing holy items with the public."