Wednesday, August 6, 2014

Day 36-Religious Relics -St. Anthony's Chapel


Tucked away on Troy Hill in Pittsburgh, is a beautiful  chapel with over 5000 religious relics. This collection is second in number only to the Vatican.  Living here all my life, I can’t believe I never ventured to see St Anthony's Chapel. Today was the journey of the relics.


 
Reflection 
5000 religious relics 
I knew nothing about about relic collections.  What I saw were small pieces of bones housed  in ornate holders. These bones were from  many saints, the apostles, and supposedly there was  a splinter from  the True Cross and a thorn from the Crown of Thorns. Oh, and the tooth of St. Anthony who is the saint for finding lost things. (I should have been using him a lot over the years because I am perpetually loosing my glasses and keys. )




life sized wood carved Stations of the Cross
I was more impressed with  the Stations of the Cross. They were  beautifully carved life size figures which were  anatomically correct. The  only other set is located  in Germany. The stations were being said by a priest  while I was there and the version that he used, combined with life sized figures, resulted in a  unique prayful experience.  


I also enjoyed talking to the sweet "chapel sitter" women who was proud of her chapel and  her job of overseeing the place. She informed me that you can call ahead for a tour and that audio tape tours are available.  Maybe it was divine intervention but a personal tour was starting just as I arrived.  You can also identify all relics in the log books.
This is a unique experience and free to the public. However donations are how the chapel stays open. I would definitely go back to hear the stations again.

(Thank you  to the church for permitting me to take pictures for my blog)

Spiritual Reflection
And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from his love. Death can’t, and life can’t. The angels can’t and the demons can’t. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can’t keep God’s love away. (Romans 8:38)

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