2016
THE RELIC CRUSADE HAS LANDED!
The Relic Crusade has erected a Shrine to the Saints in Saint Michael the Archangel Greek Ukrainian Catholic Church. Located in Lyndora, Pennsylvania, this is the largest collection of Relics in an Eastern Rite Church.
The solemn blessing of the shrine was attended by many Crusaders and Faithful. It was sprinkled with holy water, incensed, and sealed for the Second Coming. The blessing was followed with Divine Liturgy and an exquisite dinner thanking all those who made this monumental step in the Relic Crusade's history possible. The Saints have found a fitting home. Click here for a list of Saints currently enshrined.
February 2018
The Pillar of Christ's Scourging Soon to Be Enshrined!
It is a great blessing that the Relic Crusade has become custodian of a fragment of the pillar upon which Our Lord was scourged, also known as the Column of the Flagellation. During the medieval crusades, it was very common to take artifacts from Jerusalem and bring them back to Rome. Many were then placed in churches as relics. The relic of the Column of the Flagellation was taken from the Holy Land and brought to Rome in 1222 by Cardinal Giovanni Colonna the Younger—a member of the powerful Colonna family during the 13th century. Given to him by the King of Jerusalem after the Fourth Crusade, Colonna brought the column back to Santa Prassede, his cardinalate church since 1212 (the church that is given to a cardinal). The history of the column before 1222, however, is unclear.
At the top of the column was a metal loop, where Christ was bound to during his flagellation. Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich described Christ's Scourging:
"Jesus trembled and shuddered as he stood before the pillar, and took off his garments as quickly as he could, but his hands were bloody and swollen. The only return he made when his brutal executioners struck and abused him was to pray for them in the most touching manner: he turned his face once towards his Mother, who was standing overcome with grief; this look quite unnerved her: she fainted, and would have fallen, had not the holy women who were there supported her. Jesus put his arms round the pillar, and when his hands were thus raised, the archers fastened them to the iron ring which was at the top of the pillar; they then dragged his arms to such a height that his feet, which were tightly bound to the base of the pillar, scarcely touched the ground. Thus was the Holy of Holies violently stretched, without a particle of clothing, on a pillar used for the punishment of the greatest criminals; and then did two furious ruffians who were thirsting for his blood begin in the most barbarous manner to scourge his sacred body from head to foot." (excerpt from The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ)
How blessed we are to have a fragment of this very significant moment in Christ's Passion available for veneration!
July 27, 2015
Saint Euphrasia and Saint Pope Pius V Ransomed!
Thanks to a vigilant Crusader in Houston, the Relic Crusade was able to successfully ransom St. Euphrasia and St. Pope Pius V and return them to the Catholic Church where they can be properly venerated.
St. Euphrasia is the foundress of the Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd. She was born on an island off the coast of France where her parents had been exiled by the French Revolutionaries. At the age of eighteen, she joined the Order of Our Lady of Charity who cared for girls and women in difficulty. Some of the girls were abandoned by their families or orphaned, some had turned to prostitution in order to survive. The Sisters of Our Lady of Charity provided shelter, food, vocational training and an opportunity for these girls and women to turn their lives around. Mother Euphrasia formed the Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd to expand this apostolate to wherever needed. We are inspired by a quote from St. Euphrasia: "Do well all that you do." Her Feast Day is April 24th and she is the Patroness of the Good Shepherd Sisters.
St. Pope Pius V gained a reputation for putting orthodoxy before personalities, prosecuting eight French bishops for heresy. He also stood firm against nepotism. He played a key role in the Council of Trent, the Counter-Reformation, and the standardization of the Roman rite within the Latin Church.
Pius V excommunicated Elizabeth I of England for heresy and persecution of English Catholics during her reign. He also arranged the formation of the Holy League, an alliance of Catholic states, which defeated the Ottoman Empire through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Saint Pius V instituted the feast of Our Lady of Victory. His Feast Day is April 30th and he is the Patron of Valletta, Malta; Bosco Marengo, Italy; Pietrelcina, Italy; Roccaforte Mondovi; and the Diocese of Alessandria.
Saint Pope Pius V
Coat of Arms
June 12, 2015
Saint Cecilia Ransom! Lovers of Music Rejoice!
The Relic Crusade was able to successfully ransom St. Cecilia and return her to the Catholic Church where she can be properly venerated.
St. Cecilia is regarded as the patroness of music [because of the story that she heard heavenly music in her heart when she was married], and is represented in art with an organ or organ-pipes in her hand.
From The Lives of the Saints by the Rev. S. Baring-Gould, M.A., published in 1914 in Edinburgh.
January 2015
Relic Crusade Sponsors Class on St. Ephraim, the Great Eastern Saint
The Relic Crusade assembled noted instructor to teach on the life of St. Ephraim and his great gifts to the Eastern Divine Liturgies. The Relic Crusade provided and displayed in the Catholic formula so the Faithful could venerate as they learned about this great Saint. At the conclusion of this class, the Catholic Priest offered prayers and a blessing with the Relic. The Faithful were very excited and pleased to have the Saint in their Parish.
March 22, 2015
A Relic of Saint Januarius Saved on the Same Day as Pope Francis Views a Relic of His Blood Miraculously Liquefying!
The Relic Crusade was able to successfull ransom St. Januarius from an estate sale and return him to the Catholic Church where he can be properly venerated.
St. Januarius was born in Italy and was bishop of Benevento during the Emperor Diocletion persecution. Bishop Januarius went to visit two deacons and two laymen in prison. He was then also imprison along with his deacon and lector. They were thrown to the wild beasts, but when the animals did not attack them, they were beheaded. What is believed to be Januarius' blood is kept in Naples, as a relic. It liquifies and bubbles when exposed in the cathedral. Scientists have not been able to explain this miracle to date. St. Januarius lived and died around 305 A.D. and his feast day is September 19th.
He is the Patron of Blood Diseases and Blood Banks.
