St Peregrine Relic and Its Wondrous Influence on the Health

St Peregrine Relic and Its Wondrous Influence on the Health

Certain antique icons and relics are believed to possess incredible healing power due to their relation to the venerated religious figures – saints and martyrs. One such persona was Saint Peregrine Laziosi, whose life was a testimony to the miraculous influence of genuine faith. That is why St Peregrine relic is considered a wonderworking artifact that helps cure illnesses.

Peregrine Laziosi was born into a wealthy family in the oldest city of Forli in Northern Italy in 1260. Many residents of this city, including his parents, were supporters of anti-clerical ideas. It is not surprising that in his youth, Peregrine was an active participant in the movement against the Roman Church’s claims for the dominance in the political, economic, cultural, scientific, and educational domains.

One day, the Pope sent his representative to Forli to preach and try to turn the hearts of people to God, restoring the status of the Church. This representative was Saint Philip Benizi. Hundreds of locals gathered to listen to the preaching of Philip. This fact irritated Peregrine, and he entered the temple together with his friends, interrupted the Pope’s messenger, and drove him from the pulpit. However, this did not seem sufficient to Laziosi, and in his anger, he struck St. Philip on the cheek with his hand. Philip’s reaction stunned the young man – the messenger turned the other cheek and forgave Peregrine.

It was the first step of the future saint toward the right path, which would eventually make St Peregrine relic such a deeply revered object. Peregrine was so full of remorse that he returned to Philip later and apologized. After this event, he changed his world outlook. Laziosi spent more and more time in prayer. One day, Peregrine had a dream of the Holy Mother, who was sending him to Siena to join the Order of the Religious Servants of the Holy Virgin. This mendicant order was created in 1233 to glorify the Mother of God with ascetic exploits.

The next event explains why St Peregrine relic is worshipped mainly by those seeking relief from ailments. The penitent Peregrine chose one of the special penances (the spiritual penalty of the Church), which consisted of standing whenever it was not necessary to sit. He also observed silence and solitude as much as possible. According to belief, Saint Peregrine did not sit for thirty years. Prolonged standing caused the veins in his legs to dilate, which resulted in the need for amputation. Laziosi spent the night before his operation in prayer. When he fell asleep, he saw Jesus Christ Himself touching his foot. In the morning, Saint Peregrine’s legs were completely healed. The news of this miracle quickly spread throughout Europe.

After healing, Peregrine Laziosi lived another two decades. His fervent sermons brought many people back to the true faith. Peregrine died in 1345 at the age of 85. In 1726, he was canonized by Pope Benedict XIII and is still one of the most revered saints. And although there is a realm of online retailers offering relics for sale, St Peregrine relic is a truly rare miraculous item to find.

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons User Mitch Ames / CC BY-SA 4.0