15 Of The Oddest Relics That Major Religions Worship
![15 Of The Oddest Relics That Major Religions Worship](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/0/6/0/890060_320x180.jpg)
Ah, the relics of the saints! For centuries, people have been fascinated by these physical reminders of the divine, and have traveled far and wide in search of them. From Jesus’ foreskin to St. Stephen’s right fist, these relics have been venerated, stolen, and even lost. But despite their mysterious origins and often dubious authenticity, these objects have been a source of faith and hope for many believers.
In this list, we will explore some of the most famous relics in history, from the liquefied blood of St. Januarius to the swaddling clothes of Jesus, and even the breast milk of Mary. We’ll also look at some of the more unusual relics, such as St. John Bosco’s brain in a kettle and St. Anthony of Padua’s tongue.
So come along with us on a journey through the centuries, and explore these relics of the saints. Who knows what secrets they might hold?
Jesus’ foreskin: priceless, until it wasn’t.
![Religious Relics Jesus' foreskin In the Middle Ages, churches across Europe said they had Jesus' holy foreskin, which was thought to have special powers and was highly valued. It was found in Calcata, Italy in the 1500s, but vanished in 1983. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/8/3/9/888839.jpg)
Whoever holds the tooth, holds the power — literally.
![Religious Relics The Awakened One's tooth The Temple of Sacred Tooth in Kandy, Sri Lanka holds Lord Buddha's tooth relic. It's said whoever has it rules the country. Every year, Kandy celebrates Esala Perahera to honor the relic. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/8/4/4/888844.jpg)
Tongue kept for 800 years.
![Religious Relics Someone's tongue St. Anthony of Padua's tongue, still wet and incorrupt when exhumed in 1263, is venerated in Italy. His tongue and jaw bone are displayed in gold reliquaries. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/8/4/3/888843.jpg)
A cloth with a long history.
![Religious Relics Jesus' linen napkin People have been honoring the Sudarium of Oviedo, a tiny linen cloth thought to have been used to cover the face of Jesus after his death, in Oviedo, Spain since 631 CE. It is shown to the public three times a year. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/8/4/2/888842.jpg)
Reinhard Dietrich/Wiki Commons,
José Ferraz de Almeida Júnior/Wiki Commons
A drop of faith, a lifetime of hope.
![Religious Relics MINO YC Pan TRUS Jesus' mother's breast milk Legend says that when Mary and Joseph were fleeing Herod's soldiers, a drop of her milk fell on the stone in the Milk Grotto in Bethlehem and turned it white. People send letters and baby photos to the Grotto as a sign of faith in its power. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/8/4/1/888841.jpg)
Antoine Taveneaux/Wiki Commons,
Barnaba da Modena/Wiki Commons
22 hearts, from 1583 to 1903 - a papal time capsule, sort of.
![Religious Relics CNOIVBTLEEMDO IVLIVSSREDCAR MAZARINVS NDAMENERE 22 popes' hearts In the church of Santi Vincenzo e Anastasio a Trevi in Rome, 22 hearts of popes from the 16th to 20th centuries are kept in marble urns as relics. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/8/3/6/888836.jpg)
Four places, one head: Saint John the Baptist’s got some serious wanderlust.
![Religious Relics Someone's head For centuries, four different locations have laid claim to the head of Saint John the Baptist, including the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus, Syria, the Church of San Silvestro in Capite in Rome, and the 13th-century cathedral in Amiens, France. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/8/3/8/888838.jpg)
Organ-izing a funeral: the Bulgarian Orthodox way.
![Religious Relics Someone's right fist In Hungary, the right fist of a 1,000-year-old saint-king is treated as a holy relic. It's kept in a fancy golden container in the Basilica of St. Stephen, and once a year on Saint Stephen's Day, it is taken out for a walk. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/8/3/4/888834.jpg)
Andrzej Otrębski/Wiki Commons,
DavidEwingPhotography/Shutterstock
A tiny shrine for a big heart.
![Religious Relics t t t t t t t Someone's heart The relic of St. Camillus' heart is kept at the Camillians' generalate house in a Murano glass casket as a treasured, precious item. Inside is a sacellum with four Doric columns and a cross on top, a symbol of the Order. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/8/3/7/888837.jpg)
Camilliani.org,
Wiki Commons
Saint Agatha’s bust bustles in royal red.
![Religious Relics Someone's breasts At the feast of Saint Agatha in Catania, Italy, people carry a bust of the saint in a fancy silver container with red velvet inside. Red is the color of martyrdom blood, but it's also the color of royalty. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/8/4/0/888840.jpg)
Brain in a Kettle: Don Bosco’s Unusual Theft.
![Religious Relics ucm Someone's brain The brains of St. John Bosco, the patron saint of stage magicians, were kept as a revered relic in the Basilica of St. John Bosco in Asti, Italy, and were stolen from there in 2017-but were recovered after being found in the thief's stove kettle. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/8/3/3/888833.jpg)
Miracle or not, it’s a regular occurrence!
![Religious Relics Liquefied blood On December 16, 2022, St. Januarius' blood liquefied in Naples for the third time that year. It's a local miracle accepted, but not yet officially recognized by the Church. It usually liquefies at least three times a year. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/8/3/2/888832.jpg)
The OG miracle workers.
![Religious Relics Many people's bones In the Middle Ages, Christians thought saints' bodies had holiness and power, and their relics could heal and bless. People traveled far to visit saint shrines, and pieces of cloth that touched saint bones were said to get heavier. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/8/3/1/888831.jpg)
Arm’s length travel: from Canada to Australia and New Zealand!
![Religious Relics Someone's forearm St. Francis Xavier's right forearm went touring Canada for the first time in 2018, and then went to Australia and New Zealand. You see, it's a first-class relic, and comes with prayer cards that have been touched to the reliquary case, making them third-class relics. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/8/3/0/888830.jpg)
Christ’s humility wrapped up in centuries-old tradition.
![Religious Relics Jesus' diaper Jesus' swaddling clothes are kept in Dubrovnik Cathedral's Reliquary Treasury and are displayed regularly. A more famous set of swaddling clothes claimed to be the same thing is kept in Aachen Cathedral's Shrine of Saint Mary since the 13th century. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/8/3/5/888835.jpg)