The Relics of the Saints Tour in Auckland has been an exciting opportunity to experience the rich cultural diversity of the Catholic Church. A few months ago, I made a video about the relic exhibition in Christchurch, and wanted to do the same in Auckland with their relic tour. The two approaches to the presentation of relics were so starkly different: the secular environment in Christchurch, compared to the liturgical veneration of the Auckland tour.

Although I was only able to attend one event in the tour, it was the first, so there was a real sense of intensity, excitement and holiness. I feel privileged to bear witness to it.

The visiting bishops from Australia were a glorious sight to behold. Their vestments were incredibly ornate and gorgeous. Auckland’s own Bishop Steve’s vestments looked a little plain and simple next to them.

The bishops were Bishop Antoine-Charbel Tarabay, Maronite Bishop of Australia, who was celebrating the Divine Liturgy in the Maronite tradition that evening; Bishop Robert Rabbat, Melkite Catholic Eparchy of Australia, New Zealand and All Oceania; Bishop Mykola Bychok Bishop of the Eparchy of Saints Peter and Paul of Melbourne - Ukrainian Catholic Church; and Archbishop Amel Shamon Nona of Saint Thomas the Apostle Chaldean Church,

Bishop Tarabay described the liturgy as an historic coming together of East and West, and Bishop Steve commented afterwards that you could follow along even though it was different to the Mass we were used to. Different, yet very familiar. For me, the Liturgy was intensely spiritual, and I was moved by the mix of languages – English, Arabic and Aramaic - and the Lebanese music, which seemed to transport us to a different time and place.  

Before the Divine Liturgy, we were introduced to the Saints that were being celebrated one by one. I hadn’t heard of a number of these great and courageous people. I knew barely anything about the Eastern Churches too, if I’m honest. I’m so grateful that this event happened and that I was able to learn so much more about our Church. Please scroll down for more information about the Eastern Catholic Churches and the Saints.

Afterwards, I found that, completely by accident, I had my Rosary Beads in my camera bag. I don’t know why I put them in there as I have never kept them there before. As the Liturgy had ended, people were gathering around the relics and touching them with scarves and veils and crosses.  I looked to Bishop Steve for guidance, and he shrugged and told me to go ahead. When the crowd had thinned a little, I gently touched the Cross of my Rosary to the glass covers of each of the relics and said a prayer of thanks.

I packed my camera equipment away and got a lift back to my hotel in town. I ate a snack and watched The Great British Sewing Bee. It was only when I went to brush my teeth before going to bed that I realised I’d been gripping my Rosary Beads the whole time.

Relics must never be worshipped, and nor must the Saints, as Bishop Tarabay reminded us in his homily; only God is to be worshipped. However, saints show us how we must all strive to be saints, and their relics remind us of this. There is power in belief and faith, and many people report being healed after contact with or veneration of a Saint and their relic.

Whatever you feel about the veneration of relics, they are a tangible way of expressing something we feel for God, and a reminder of what God feels for us. I don’t think I instinctively held on to my Rosary Beads because of the relics, rather I held on to them because of how I feel about God.

The Churches

The Maronite Church, which was born in Lebanon, is the only Church named after a Saint: St Maroun.

The Chaldean Church has her roots in the teaching of Thomas the Apostle, and emerged from the Church of the East, mentioned in 1 Peter 5:13.

The Melkite Catholic Church is descended from the early Christians of Antioch (Syria). They are born of St. Peter’s travels in the years after the Death and Resurrection of Christ. They took their name later. 

The Ukrainian Catholic Church also goes back to the earliest years of Christianity.  Whilst each of the churches have their own rites, they are still a part of the Catholic Church and recognise the Holy See.

The Relics

From the Prayer Book provided at the event:

“The relics of five saints – St Maroun, St Charbel, St Rafqa, St Nehmetallah, and St Mary of the Cross MacKillop – are contained in a reliquary designed by sculptor Toufic Mourad on the occasion of the Maronite Eparchy’s Golden Jubilee, since official establishment.

The reliquary is carved in one piece, and is in the shape of a ship, with a phoenix at the head symbolising immortality, resurrection and life after death; Christ’s Resurrection. The ship’s sail features the map of Australia and incorporated within it, the map and cedar tree of Lebanon – representing holiness, eternity and piece – the roots of which are spread across Australia and reaching the Southern Cross and therefore all of Oceania. The relics of the Saints are contained in small holds where the oars would typically be, propelling the ship forward. This is a representative of all our saints, whose holiness is a force of good among us, and a source of energy that is driving us forward on our journey to heaven.”

Also on display were relics brought in by members of the public that they privately owned, and the rib of St Peter Chanel was also included in the tour.

The Saints

St Maroun, Maronite Church

St Maroun is the spiritual father of the Maronite Catholic Church. A fourth-century monk, priest and hermit, he chose a life of solitude atop a Syrian mountain, living an ascetic life, healing the sick, and counselling the sinful, spreading the message of Christianity through his example of chastity, prayer and faith. Renowned for his spirituality and reverence, he attracted multitudes seeking healing and solace, and his reputed miracles spread far and wide.

Saint Peter Chanel, Roman Catholic Church

As a young priest, wanting to be a missionary, he joined the Society of Mary at 28. After teaching for some years, he travelled with Bishop Pompallier to Western Oceania. Though he struggled, he mastered the new language and made difficult adjustments to life with whalers, traders, and warring indigenous tribes. He served on the island of Futuna for three years with limited success, yet he maintained a serene, gentle and courageous spirit. At the time, a few on the island had been converted to Catholicism, and several more were being instructed. However, in 1841, when the chief’s son asked to be baptised, Father Chanel was clubbed to death. Within two years of his death, the whole island became Catholic and has remained so. 

St Charbel, Maronite Church

Born in 1828 in Lebanon, Charbel joined a monastery and found himself called to a life as a hermit. He spent his time kneeling austerely before Jesus in the Holy Eucharist, praying quietly to Him, and immersing himself in Him through the night. He died on Christmas Eve in 1898. Following his burial, people started to report lights emanating from his tomb. When Church authorities exhumed him, they found his body incorrupt and exuding sweat and blood.

Charbel became a beacon for Holiness drawing pilgrims seeking healing and intercession. God granted many of them physical healings and spiritual blessings.  

Blessed Martyrs of Pratulin, Ukrainian Church

The Pratulin Martyrs were 13 Ukrainian Greek Catholic men and boys, who were killed defending their church against a campaign of forced conversion by the Imperial Russian Army on 24^th January 1874, in the village of Pratulin near Biala Podlaska.

In a powerful protest, the community gathered in front of the church but were tragically met with gunfire from the Russian forces. This resulted in the death of 13 brave martyrs who stood for the unity of the church. Each of these men and boys exemplified deep faith and an understanding of sacrificing their own lives for Jesus Christ. Beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1996, the Martyrs of Pratulin serve as a timeless example of the unwavering commitment to the Kingdom of God.

St Rafqa, Maronite Church

St Rafqa, a young nun in the Maronite order, suffered greatly: blindness, debilitating pain and paralysis, all of which she endured with patience and prayer. She continued to serve others despite her afflictions and remained steadfast in her faith, vowing to participate in the redemptive sacrifice of the Cross, uniting her suffering with that of Christ. St Rafqa died on 23^rd March 1914, and her legacy of faith and endurance was recognised by her canonisation as a saint on 10^th June 2001 by Pope John Paul II.

Blessed Volodymyr Pryjma, Ukrainian Church

Blessed Volodymyr Pryjma, was a cantor and choir conductor in his village of Stradch in Yavoriv Oblast. He was esteemed by his community for his integrity and fairness, earning their love and respect. Despite the threat of WWII, he courageously accompanied Fr Mykola Konrad to a neigbouring village in need of a priest. On the way, they were intercepted and arrested by the Soviet police agency NKVD. Volodymyr was brutally killed along with Fr Mykola. Beatified by Pope John Paul II in 2001, his life of courage and faith continues to inspire believers.

St. Nehmetallah, Maronite Church

A monk of the Maronite order, St. Nehmetallah had a profound devotion to the Blessed Sacrament and , throughout his life, epitomised piety, humility and service. During periods of civil unrest in 1840 and 1845, he always chose to endure hardships alongside his community, and declined the position of Abbot General, a decision that underscored his commitment to humility. Fr Nehmetallah was canonised by Pope John Paul II in 2004, a testament to his exemplary life.

St Alphonsa, Syro-Malabar Church

Born in a small village of Kudamalur, India, Anna Muttathupadathu gelt a strong calling to the religious life. Desperate to avoid an arranged marriage, she endured severe burns, which led to her being accepted into the Franciscan Clarist Congregation, where she took the name Sr. Alphonsa.

Her life was one of physical suffering and spiritual dedication. She experienced mystical encounters and prophetic visions and, despite her own pain, prayed for the for the healing of others, often taking on their illnesses. She died in 1946, leaving a legacy of miraculous intercession and profound faith. She was the first Indian woman to be elevated to sainthood in 2008.

St Mary of the Cross MacKillop, Roman Catholic Church

On St Joseph’s feast day in 1866, Mary MacKillop began the Congregation of the sisters of St Joseph. That same year, she founded the first St Joseph’s School with Fr. Julain Tenison Woods.

Renowned for saying, “never see a need without doing something about it”, she dedicated her life to doing God’s work. As the congregation grew, they provided free Catholic education, established orphanages, and shelters for the homeless.

Her commitment to compassion and service earned her canonisation as Australia’s first saint in 2010 by Pope John Paul II. Her legacy endures through the continued efforts of the Sisters of St Joseph.  

Saint Mariam Baouardy, Melkite Church

St. Mariam Baouardy was born in Palestine in 1846. An orphan who was raised by relatives in Egypt, Mariam rejected arranged marriage at 13, choosing to devote herself to Christ, which led to mistreatment by her family. Mariam fell victim to a brutal assault by a Muslim man who had attempted to convert her, leaving her lifeless in an alley. In a mystical encounter, she was taken by the Blessed Virgin Mary to a grotto, where her wounds were miraculously healed.

She travelled to France where she experienced many ecstasies, visions and the Stigmata, eventually becoming a Carmelite nun. At 29, she returned to her homeland of Palestine to establish a Carmelite monastery in Bethlehem. She was canonised in 2015 by Pope Francis.

Servant of God, Father Ragheed Aziz Ganni, Chaldean Church

Ragheed Ganni was born in Mosul, and eventually became a priest through studies in Rome. He returned to Mosul amidst campaigns of intimidation, kidnapping, bombing of churches, and the killing of Christians at the hands of extremist Muslim groups since 2003. Father Ragheed continued to celebrate Mass until his arrest with three deacons in June 2007. The terrorists questioned him, saying, “Didn’t we ask you not to open the church to prayer?” He replied, “How can I close the House of God in the face of worshipers?” These were his last words.

Information and words about the relics and saints were taken from the ‘The Relics of the Saints’ prayer book produced by the Chancery Office of the Maronite Eparchy of Australia, Newland and Oceania, in collaboration with the Catholic Diocese of Auckland and the Eastern Churches of Oceania.