Tonight during prayers, Edie grabbed my rosary and I said, “Hon, be gentle, it’s a third class relic.”
The kids glanced at me, and Addie asked, “How?”
“Remember? My rosary was touched to the tomb of Arbp. Fulton Sheen on our trip to New York.”
Addie nodded and Byron piped up, “Hey, our dishes are relics then because St. Nicholas touches them when he eats our cookies.”
Immediately, Tony looks like he’s going to laugh, “Yeah, but we don’t know which dishes.” I can see he’s concerned Byron will want to start touching dinner plates to family members when they get sick.
I exchange glances with Addie, then Tony, then Addie, who is starting to get huffy because Tony and I think this whole exchange is funny, while Addie is dying to blurt out the truth.
It was a close one, but we did manage to get the rosary started without Addie cracking under the pressure. But if you stop by and notice dinner plates stacked under the rosary holders, you’ll know why.
Oh my gosh, I have so much to learn still. I totally didn’t know relics had classes! Is that a real thing????
Yes, and I didn’t realize it for the longest time either. First class relics are parts of the saint, like a skull or heart. Second class relics are things used by the saint, like we have a piece of some vestments Arbp. Fulton Sheen regularly wore. Other second class relics would be prayer books, rosaries, etc; anything the saint used and touched. Third class relics are items touched to a first or second class relic. Readers-feel free to correct me if I’m wrong!
You’re spot on! We have a 2nd class relic of St. Padre Pio! It’s a piece of his habit. 🙂
Also, Dweej, all altars have a relic in them. In European churches it’s usually a first class relic of the named patron of the parish. Here in North America we take what we can get.
Your daughter is brilliant!