The Mystery of St Bernadette Relic
Certain holy artifacts help believers keep their faith, especially in the times of need. These miraculous items are called relics or reliquaries. They represent the remains of Christian saints and martyrs who showed the strength of their faith and purity of their spirits during lifetime. Such sacred objects of religious veneration in the Orthodox and Catholic churches appeared a long time ago. Most Catholic reliquaries contain the bones of saints or their dried bodies subjected to natural mummification in special conditions of burial; others contain pieces of clothes once belonged to the holy people. Christian believers are sure that the bodies of saints and martyrs were not decomposed by the will of God who kept the relics incorruptible for the faithful. Also, it is believed that the remains of these righteous people contain grace that can heal diseases and save from danger. However, some of these miraculous objects are a genuine mystery, which is the case for St Bernadette relic – imperishable remains of the beloved French saint.
As a child, Bernadette Soubirous witnessed the apparition of the Virgin Mary. At the behest of the Holy Mother, Bernadette was eating grass and drinking dirty water as a symbol of repentance for the behavior of sinners. Later, a powerful spring with clean water – a Catholic symbol of healing – emerged on that very spot.
After the saint’s death, St Bernadette relic was exhumed three times, and each time it was recorded that the body of the saint was absolutely not exposed to decay. Such a marvelous phenomenon led to the appearance of many religious artifacts stores selling the relics of one of the most worshipped saints in Europe.
In the first half of the 20th century, Bernadette’s body was examined thrice, as the question of her canonization was considered. The first time, the remains were dug up in 1909, and the believers were told that there were no traces of decomposition, with St Bernadette’s skin and nails remaining completely intact. It was as if the deceased had been dead for hours, not decades. In 1919, the second exhumation was carried out. The body of the French saint allegedly still had no traces of destruction. In 1925, the exhumation of the body was performed for the third time and again, no signs of decay were found. However, according to other evidence, Bernadette’s face began to wither. After that, St Bernadette relic was transferred to the reliquary, a beautifully adorned glass casket. In the same year, Bernadette was beatified. Finally, she was listed among the blessed. In 1933, the saint was canonized.
Today, any interested faithful person can see her imperishable remains in a transparent reliquary in the St Bernadette Chapel in Nevers, Eastern France. As compared to most relics for sale, Bernadette Soubirous’ body is preserved the best.
If you are a worshipper of St Bernadette relic, you can buy a large number of religious artifacts related to this saint from online retailers. However, let us recommend The Russian Store in Boston, MA, one of the most reputable relics stores in the US.