‘Treasures of the Church’ relics to be featured Feb. 16 in Co-Cathedral
February 8, 2022 at 2:51 p.m.
Companions of the Cross Father Carlos Martins, a Vatican-appointed expert on relics, will present a Vatican collection of more than 150 relics on Feb. 16 beginning 6:30 p.m. in St. Robert Bellarmine Co-Cathedral, 61 Georgia Rd., Freehold.
The purpose of “Treasures of the Church,” a Catholic evangelization apostolate, is to give people an experience of the living God through an encounter with the relics of his saints in the form of an exposition. Each exposition begins with a multi-media presentation on the Church’s use of relics that is scriptural, catechetical and devotional. To date, it has been hosted in almost 200 Catholic dioceses in various countries.
“I seek to give people an experience of the living God through the relics of his saints,” said Father Martins in a video on the Treasures of the Church website, treasuresofthechurch.com. “I precede the viewing of the relics with a talk … it prepares people for what I call ‘the walk with the saints.’”
[[In-content Ad]]
Relics are physical objects that have a direct association with the saints or with Jesus. First class relics are the body or fragments of the body of a saint, such as pieces of bone or flesh. Second class relics are something that a saint personally owned, such as a shirt or book (or fragments of those items). Third class relics are items that a saint touched or that have been touched to a first, second, or another third-class relic of a saint.
Among the treasures will be relics of St. Joseph, St. Maria Goretti, St. Therese of Lisieux, St. Francis of Assisi, St. Anthony of Padua, St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Faustina Kowalska. There will also be a portion of the Veil believed to be worn by the Blessed Mother, and one of the purported largest remaining pieces of the True Cross.
“One of the most endearing things for me personally is to see people’s reaction to the encounter with the saints,” Father Martins continued. “Comments I often hear are ‘I feel like I was walking into a room with my old friends.’ … One woman who was skeptical … said ‘I still have a lot of questions – but what I can’t deny is what I’m feeling right now. I just feel I am surrounded by the presence of holiness.’”
Following the presentation, those in attendance will be able to examine and venerate each relic. Throughout history, many healings have been attributed to the presence of relics, and thousands have occurred through this ministry.
Attendees are encouraged to bring articles of devotion – rosaries, holy cards, etc., and pictures of ill friends and family members – which they will be able to touch to the reliquaries as a means of intercession.
Related Stories
Sunday, December 21, 2025
E-Editions
Events
Companions of the Cross Father Carlos Martins, a Vatican-appointed expert on relics, will present a Vatican collection of more than 150 relics on Feb. 16 beginning 6:30 p.m. in St. Robert Bellarmine Co-Cathedral, 61 Georgia Rd., Freehold.
The purpose of “Treasures of the Church,” a Catholic evangelization apostolate, is to give people an experience of the living God through an encounter with the relics of his saints in the form of an exposition. Each exposition begins with a multi-media presentation on the Church’s use of relics that is scriptural, catechetical and devotional. To date, it has been hosted in almost 200 Catholic dioceses in various countries.
“I seek to give people an experience of the living God through the relics of his saints,” said Father Martins in a video on the Treasures of the Church website, treasuresofthechurch.com. “I precede the viewing of the relics with a talk … it prepares people for what I call ‘the walk with the saints.’”
[[In-content Ad]]
Relics are physical objects that have a direct association with the saints or with Jesus. First class relics are the body or fragments of the body of a saint, such as pieces of bone or flesh. Second class relics are something that a saint personally owned, such as a shirt or book (or fragments of those items). Third class relics are items that a saint touched or that have been touched to a first, second, or another third-class relic of a saint.
Among the treasures will be relics of St. Joseph, St. Maria Goretti, St. Therese of Lisieux, St. Francis of Assisi, St. Anthony of Padua, St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Faustina Kowalska. There will also be a portion of the Veil believed to be worn by the Blessed Mother, and one of the purported largest remaining pieces of the True Cross.
“One of the most endearing things for me personally is to see people’s reaction to the encounter with the saints,” Father Martins continued. “Comments I often hear are ‘I feel like I was walking into a room with my old friends.’ … One woman who was skeptical … said ‘I still have a lot of questions – but what I can’t deny is what I’m feeling right now. I just feel I am surrounded by the presence of holiness.’”
Following the presentation, those in attendance will be able to examine and venerate each relic. Throughout history, many healings have been attributed to the presence of relics, and thousands have occurred through this ministry.
Attendees are encouraged to bring articles of devotion – rosaries, holy cards, etc., and pictures of ill friends and family members – which they will be able to touch to the reliquaries as a means of intercession.