A relic is a bodily remain or an object associated with a saint. The central question is why Christians might honour such material without making it a god. A second question concerns recognition: what warrants identifying this bone, garment or other object with that person? A third concerns reports of healing. Theological reasons for honour, evidence of provenance and evidence for a particular miracle require different arguments. Establishing one does not establish the others.
The witnesses below connect the saint’s body with a life given to God, the hope of resurrection and the continuing fellowship of the Church. They distinguish Christ from his followers while allowing material things to matter in that fellowship. This raises a real difficulty: visible actions such as kneeling or kissing do not explain their own intended object. A defender must account for what the action means; a critic must examine the stated distinction rather than infer divinity from bodily contact alone.
Smyrna: a martyr’s body and the community’s memory
The Martyrdom of Polycarp presents itself as a letter from the church at Smyrna to Philomelium and other Christian congregations. Its subject is the execution of Smyrna’s bishop and the conduct of the community around that death. The historical English edition associates it with the middle of the second century but also reports disputes about interpolation and date. Chapter XXI’s calendrical details have explicit editorial cautions. This page therefore uses a broad second-century setting without resolving an exact execution day or dating every transmitted addition to the original letter. Source
The narrative’s earlier chapters describe pressure to deny Christ, the bishop’s refusal and his prayer. Chapter IV declines to commend people who volunteer for suffering; chapter XIV connects martyrdom with resurrection of both soul and body. These details make the later treatment of the remains intelligible. The account honours steadfast discipleship rather than suffering for its own sake, and it treats the body as included in the hope of life with God. Its genre is a theological account of martyrdom, not an excavation report. Source
Chapter XVII reports an attempt to prevent the Christians from obtaining Polycarp’s body, justified by the fear that they would replace the crucified Christ with the martyr. The Christian answer is explicit: Christ receives adoration as the Son of God, while the martyrs are loved as disciples and followers. Chapter XVIII then describes gathering the bones, placing them suitably and meeting to remember the martyrdom and prepare future disciples. Taken together, these passages show bodily remembrance alongside a stated refusal to substitute the martyr for Christ. Source
The controversy around the body explains why the Smyrna letter distinguishes Christ from the martyr, and the planned gathering explains its use of the remains. Those details give more context than the description of precious bones alone. The account does not establish a later relic’s identity or a complete rule for every subsequent devotion. Its hostile portrayal of participants belongs to this narrative, rather than to a judgment about an entire people. Source
John of Damascus: bodies as places of divine indwelling
John’s eighth-century Exposition IV.15 develops an account of saints and their remains. He moves from their relation to God to bodies, blessings, intercession and imitation. Read in that sequence, the chapter explains why he expects gifts through material remains. It is theological instruction, distinct from the Smyrna community’s report of one execution or a verified catalogue of individual relics. Source
John calls the saints friends and children of God, and even uses language of gods, lords and kings. He immediately qualifies that language: their status is not divine by nature, but comes through participation and grace. Honour for a fellow servant expresses regard for the common Master. He then appeals to bodies as temples of the Holy Spirit. The theological argument thus depends on a distinction between God and those who receive God’s gifts, rather than on the creation of additional divine beings. Source
The chapter also makes strong claims about fragrant oil and healings through saints’ remains, comparing these with biblical accounts of water given through unlikely material instruments. John attributes the benefits to Christ’s power and the honour God gives the saints. His insistence is part of the evidence and should not be softened into a claim that he merely recommends respectful historical memory. At the same time, this argument supplies no chain of custody or medical assessment for a particular reported cure. Those would require further evidence. Source
John links honour with asking the saints’ intercession, commemorating them, helping the needy and imitating their virtues. His concluding catalogue includes apostles, martyrs, ascetics and earlier righteous people. The relic is situated within this broader communion and moral life. A reading that reduces the chapter to a material charm omits that setting; a reading that removes all expectation of blessing omits its explicit claims. Both the material and ethical dimensions must remain visible when assessing the strength and limits of his account. Source
Honour, worship and the work of translation
The historical English translations use different language. Smyrna distinguishes adoration of Christ from love of martyrs; Salmond’s John can speak of “worshipping” saints while distinguishing grace from divinity by nature. Read that older usage through the surrounding explanation. Replacing it silently with “veneration” would hide a real translation question, while treating the word alone as Creator-status for saints would ignore John’s stated distinction. Source
Honour here names recognition directed to a saint because of that saint’s relation to God. Divine worship names the acknowledgement owed to God as God. Intercession concerns a request for prayer, rather than an assertion that a saint independently controls divine power. These distinctions express the reasoning of the witnesses; they do not settle every objection to the practice. The critical question is whether a particular action preserves the distinction in its meaning and use, rather than whether its outward gesture resembles another religious action.
Named Catholic and Orthodox reception
The Congregation for the Causes of Saints’ 2017 instruction relates honor for remains to bodily resurrection and the Spirit’s indwelling. Its authentication, examination and anti-superstition safeguards address misidentification and abuse (introduction; articles 14–25). These procedures respond to practical concerns, while the scriptural warrant for a devotion and the evidence for a particular miracle require further arguments. The instruction gives a procedural Catholic account, differing in role from an Orthodox educational manual. Source
Lawrence Farley’s OCA manual answers the objection in Article XXII of the Church of England’s Thirty-nine Articles that relic devotion lacks scriptural warrant. He invokes Elisha’s bones (2 Kings 13:20–21), Paul’s cloths (Acts 19:11–12) and the continuing relation of body and soul. These examples support his argument that matter can mediate God’s gifts and that resurrection gives remains lasting significance. Whether they warrant a particular later devotion remains a further question. The chapter gives a specific Orthodox educational argument (chapter 5, pp. 76–79). Source
Authenticity, abuses and the limits of the evidence
Authentication asks whether the material actually belongs to the claimed person and how that identification is supported. A useful assessment would consider records, changes of location, the integrity of containers and the reliability of earlier identifications. A devotional association alone is insufficient. An uncertain identification does not by itself refute the theological rationale for honouring saints, but that rationale cannot repair an uncertain identification. Each claim must bear the burden appropriate to it. No particular present-day relic is authenticated by this page.
Likewise, a healing report must be distinguished from both the saint’s holiness and the identification of the remains. A theological account can explain why believers expect divine gifts through material things; it cannot replace investigation of what happened in a particular case. Possible misuse matters to that assessment. Treating an object as a source of power detached from God, manipulating devotion for gain or overlooking doubtful provenance would contradict central distinctions used by these defenders. The existence of such possibilities does not demonstrate that all relics are fraudulent.
A transfer of remains can preserve documentation or reveal gaps in an identification; the ceremony itself cannot establish provenance. The larger practical question is how devotion maintains the theological distinction it claims. Smyrna describes remembrance within discipleship, and John develops a theology of grace, bodies and intercession. Those accounts offer reasons to assess a practice, rather than authorization for every use of an object labelled a relic.
The witnesses explain honor for saints’ remains through discipleship, divine indwelling and hope beyond death, while distinguishing saints from God. Their claims about material blessing also deserve scrutiny in their own terms. Read Smyrna’s narrative and copyist additions with John’s complete chapter. Questions about manuscript history, chronology, translation, particular objects and reported cures need evidence suited to each claim.
Read the two primary anchors together
Smyrna: Christ, the martyrs and their remains
Chapter XVII.--The Christians are refused Polycarp's body.
But when the adversary of the race of the righteous, the envious,
malicious, and wicked one, perceived the impressive [463] nature of his
martyrdom, and [considered] the blameless life he had led from the
beginning, and how he was now crowned with the wreath of immortality,
having beyond dispute received his reward, he did his utmost that not
the least memorial of him should be taken away by us, although many
desired to do this, and to become possessors [464] of his holy flesh.
For this end he suggested it to Nicetes, the father of Herod and
brother of Alce, to go and entreat the governor not to give up his body
to be buried, "lest," said he, "forsaking Him that was crucified, they
begin to worship this one." This he said at the suggestion and urgent
persuasion of the Jews, who also watched us, as we sought to take him
out of the fire, being ignorant of this, that it is neither possible
for us ever to forsake Christ, who suffered for the salvation of such
as shall be saved throughout the whole world (the blameless one for
sinners [465] ), nor to worship any other. For Him indeed, as being the
Son of God, we adore; but the martyrs, as disciples and followers of
the Lord, we worthily love on account of their extraordinary [466]
affection towards their own King and Master, of whom may we also be
made companions [467] and fellow-disciples!
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[463] Literally, "greatness."
[464] The Greek, literally translated, is, "and to have fellowship with
his holy flesh."
[465] This clause is omitted by Eusebius: it was probably interpolated
by some transcriber, who had in his mind 1 Pet. iii. 18.
[466] Literally, "unsurpassable."
[467] Literally, "fellow-partakers."
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Chapter XVIII.--The body of Polycarp is burned.
The centurion then, seeing the strife excited by the Jews, placed the
body [468] in the midst of the fire, and consumed it. Accordingly, we
afterwards took up his bones, as being more precious than the most
exquisite jewels, and more purified [469] than gold, and deposited them
in a fitting place, whither, being gathered together, as opportunity is
allowed us, with joy and rejoicing, the Lord shall grant us to
celebrate the anniversary [470] of his martyrdom, both in memory of
those who have already finished their course, [471] and for the
exercising and preparation of those yet to walk in their steps.
__________________________________________________________________
[468] Or, "him."
[469] Or, "more tried."
[470] Literally, "the birth-day."
[471] Literally, "been athletes."
To the saints honour must be paid as friends of Christ, as sons and
heirs of God: in the words of John the theologian and evangelist, As
many as received Him, to them gave He power to became sons of God
[2466] . So that they are no longer servants, but sons: and if sons,
also heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ [2467] : and the
Lord in the holy Gospels says to His apostles, Ye are My friends [2468]
. Henceforth I call you not servants, for the servant knoweth not what
his lord doeth [2469] . And further, if the Creator and Lord of all
things is called also King of Kings and Lord of Lords [2470] and God of
Gods, surely also the saints are gods and lords and kings. For of these
God is and is called God and Lord and King. For I am the God of
Abraham, He said to Moses, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob [2471]
. And God made Moses a god to Pharaoh [2472] . Now I mean gods and
kings and lords not in nature, but as rulers and masters of their
passions, and as preserving a truthful likeness to the divine image
according to which they were made (for the image of a king is also
called king), and as being united to God of their own free-will and
receiving Him as an indweller and becoming by grace through
participation with Him what He is Himself by nature. Surely, then, the
worshippers and friends and sons of God are to be held in honour? For
the honour shewn to the most thoughtful of fellow-servants is a proof
of good feeling towards the common Master [2473] .
These are made treasuries and pure habitations of God: For I will dwell
in them, said God, and walk in them, and I will be their God [2474] .
The divine Scripture likewise saith that the souls of the just are in
God's hand [2475] and death cannot lay hold of them. For death is
rather the sleep of the saints than their death. For they travailed in
this life and shall to the end [2476] , and Precious in the sight of
the Lord is the death of His saints [2477] . What then, is more
precious than to be in the hand of God? For God is Life and Light, and
those who are in God's hand are in life and light.
Further, that God dwelt even in their bodies in spiritual wise [2478] ,
the Apostle tells us, saying, Know ye not that your bodies are the
temples of the Holy Spirit dwelling in you? [2479] , and The Lord is
that Spirit [2480] , and If any one destroy the temple of God, him will
God destroy [2481] . Surely, then, we must ascribe honour to the living
temples of God, the living tabernacles of God. These while they lived
stood with confidence before God.
The Master Christ made the remains of the saints to be fountains of
salvation to us, pouring forth manifold blessings and abounding in oil
of sweet fragrance: and let no one disbelieve this [2482] . For if
water burst in the desert from the steep and solid rock at God's will
[2483] and from the jaw-bone of an ass to quench Samson's thirst [2484]
, is it incredible that fragrant oil should burst forth from the
martyrs' remains? By no means, at least to those who know the power of
God and the honour which He accords His saints.
The Martyrdom of Polycarp is the Smyrna church’s account, rather than a work authored by Polycarp. The passages discussed are IV, XIV, XVII–XVIII and XXI–XXII, in the ANF I Roberts–Donaldson translation series with Coxe’s distinct revision and introductions (1885). Source text
John of Damascus, Exposition IV.15, Salmond’s historical English translation (1898). The complete edition-defined work preserves attached apparatus; editorial notes and translated prologue are distinct from John’s prose. Read the complete chapter
Congregation for the Causes of Saints, Relics in the Church: Authenticity and Preservation (8 December 2017), introduction and articles 14–25, 26–27 and 31–38. Dated institutional witness. Source text
OCA Departments, Essential Orthodox Christian Beliefs, version 1.1, July 6, 2023; Lawrence Farley, chapter 5, printed pages 76–79 (physical PDF pages 92–95). Restricted manual linked at publisher; no local reader reproduction. Source text
The quotations follow historical English editions. Copyist additions and editorial commentary have their own voices, and critical comparison with the Greek remains unfinished. Modern sources are linked and briefly paraphrased.
Edition notes
Reader lines are digital locators rather than printed pages. The edition’s Eusebius comparisons, exact martyrdom chronology and edition-specific Denzinger/Hünermann numbering have not been independently established here.