Americas
First Class Relics
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United States of America
Damien Joseph de Veuster of Moloka’i, priest* (May 10th)
St Damien Joseph de Veuster of Moloka’i (d. 1889) (Relics: Leuven, Belgium; Kalawao, Hawaii, USA; Honolulu, Hawaii, USA)
St Philomena Church
Kalawao, Hawaii, USA
*St Damien Joseph de Veuster faithfully and heroically served the leper community in Moloka’i, Hawaii for over fifteen years before finally succumbing himself to the disease. In 1995 the right hand of St Damien Joseph was returned to Hawaii and placed within his original tomb located in the cemetery at this church.
Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace
1184 Bishop Street
Honolulu, Hawaii, 96813, USA
*During the canonization of St Damien Joseph in 2009 a bone fragment from his heel was given to the Hawaiian Catholic Church. Today this relic is enshrined in this cathedral. It is located within a glass case to the right of the main sanctuary.
Elizabeth Ann Seton, religious* (January 4th)
St Elizabeth Ann Seton (d. 1821, Emmitsburg, Maryland, USA) (Relics: Emmitsburg, Maryland, USA)
National Shrine of St Elizabeth Ann Seton
339 S. Seton Avenue
Emmitsburg, Maryland, 21727, USA
*The remains of St Elizabeth Ann Seton rest within this shrine. It was here that she established the Sisters of Charity of St Joseph which was the first religious order of women founded in America. This community adopted the rules written by St Vincent de Paul in the 17th century for the Daughters of Charity in France. In 1850 the Emmitsburg community officially united with this French community and are now known as the Daughters of Charity.
Frances Xavier Cabrini, virgin* (November 13th)
St Frances Xavier Cabrini (d. 1917, Chicago, Illinois, USA) (Relics: New York City, New York, USA; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Rome, Italy; Codogno, Italy; Sant’Angelo Lodigiano, Italy)
St Frances Xavier Cabrini Shrine
701 Fort Washington Avenue
New York City, New York, 10040, USA
*A life-size representation of St Frances Xavier Cabrini rests below the main altar of the church at this shrine. Within this simulation is a large portion of the extant remains of St Frances.
The National Shrine of St Frances Xavier Cabrini
2520 N. Lakeview Avenue
Chicago, Illinois, 60614, USA
*An arm bone of St Frances Xavier Cabrini is enshrined beneath the main altar of the church at this shrine.
John Neumann, bishop* (January 5th)
St John Neumann (d. 1860, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA) (Relics: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA)
National Shrine of St John Neumann
1019 N. 5th Street
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19123, USA
*The body of St John Neumann is enshrined under the main altar.
Jude, apostle (October 28th)
St Jude (Relics: Rome, Italy; Chicago, Illinois, USA)
National Shrine of St Jude
3200 East 91st Street
Chicago, Illinois, 60617, USA
*Two bone fragments of St Jude rest within this church. They are located at the Altar of St Jude on the right side of the main sanctuary. The larger fragment is placed within a reliquary above the altar. The smaller piece is positioned on the kneeler directly in front of the altar.
Junipero Serra, priest* (July 1st)
Blessed Junipero Serra (d. 1784, Carmel, California, USA) (Relics: Carmel, California, USA)
Mission San Carlos Borromeo
3080 Rio Road
Carmel, California, 93923, USA
*At the age of thirty-six Blessed Junipero Serra left Spain to enter the mission fields of the New World. After spending many years in Mexico he was transferred to California where he established a total of nine missions and evangelized many of the natives. It was at this mission in Carmel, which he had established in 1770, that he eventually died. His body is now buried beneath the sanctuary floor of this church.
Katharine Drexel, virgin* (March 3rd)
St Katharine Drexel (d. 1955, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA) (Relics: Bensalem, Pennsylvania, USA)
National Shrine of Katharine Drexel
1663 Bristol Pike
Bensalem, Pennsylvania, 19020, USA
*The body of St Katharine Drexel rests at this shrine under the main altar of the Saint Elizabeth Chapel.
Marianne Cope, virgin* (January 23rd)
St Marianne Cope (d. 1918, Kalaupapa, Hawaii, USA) (Relics: Syracuse, New York, USA)
Shrine & Museum of Saint Marianne Cope
Saint Anthony Convent
1024 Court Street
Syracuse, New York, 13208, USA
*The remains of St Marianne Cope rest at this shrine within a large reliquary in the convent chapel. It was here in Syracuse in 1862 that she joined the Sisters of St Francis. Fifteen years later she became the mother general of this community. Despite her many responsibilities, in 1883 she embraced a call to take charge of several hospitals and schools in Hawaii including those at a leper colony in Moloka’i. It was here that she helped assist St Damien Joseph de Veuster in caring for the lepers.
Marie Rose Durocher, virgin* (October 6th)
Blessed Marie Rose Durocher (d. 1849) (Relics: Longueuil, Quebec, Canada)
Co-Cathédrale Saint-Antoine de Padoue
(Saint Anthony of Padua Co-Cathedral)
55 Sainte Elizabeth Rue
74H 1J3, Longueuil, Quebec, Canada
*The remains of Blessed Marie Rose Durocher rest within the right transept in the Marie Rose Chapel. It was in this city that she founded the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary with the charism of providing a Christian education for the poor and the needy.
Rose Philippine Duchesne, virgin* (November 18th)
St Rose Philippine Duchesne (d. 1852, St Charles, Missouri, USA) (Relics: St Charles, Missouri, USA)
Shrine of Saint Rose Philippine Duchesne
619 North Second Street
St Charles, Missouri, 63301, USA
*The remains of St Rose Philippine Duchesne rest at this church within a marble sarcophagus on the right side of the nave. In 1818 she left her native France and came to America where she began establishing schools in Missouri and Louisiana. In 1852 at the age of 83 she passed away in St Charles, Missouri.
Canada
Andre Bessette, religious* (January 6th)
St Andre Bessette (d. 1937, Montreal, Quebec, Canada) (Relics: Montreal, Quebec, Canada)
L’Oratoire Saint-Joseph Du Mont-Royal
(Saint Joseph’s Oratory of Mount Royal)
3800 Chemin Queen Mary
H3V 1H6, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
*A relic of St André Bessette’s heart is kept within the museum of this church. His body rests within a large black marble tomb in the votive chapel within the lower church.
Anne, mother of The Blessed Virgin Mary (July 26th)
(Relics: Apt, France; Bologna, Italy; Sainte-Anne d’Auray, France; Sainte-Anne de Beaupré, Quebec, Canada; Vienna, Austria)
Sanctuaire Sainte Anne de Beaupré
(Sanctuary of Saint Anne of Beaupré)
10018 Avenue Royale
Sainte Anne de Beaupré, Quebec, G0A C30, Canada
*During the last four centuries this shrine has obtained three relics of St Anne. In 1670 it obtained a portion of a bone from her finger. Then in 1892 and again in 1960 the shrine received two separate forearm bones. One of these forearm bones is currently enshrined in the left transept of the upper church.
John de Brebeuf and Isaac Jogues, priests and martyrs, and Companions, martyrs* (October 19th)
Honored on this day are eight Jesuit martyrs who died in North America from the years 1642-1649. (Relics: Midland, Ontario, Canada)
The Martyr’s Shrine
16163 Highway 12 West
L4R 4K6, Midland, Ontario, Canada
*The skull of St John de Brebeuf and some small bone fragments from St Gabriel Lalemant and St Charles Garnier rest within two reliquaries in the left transept. These are the only extant relics of the eight Jesuit martyrs honored on this day.
Kateri Tekakwitha* (July 14th)
St Kateri Tekakwitha (d. 1680, Kahnawake, Quebec, Canada) (Relics: Kahnawake, Quebec, Canada)
St Francis Xavier Mission
1 Church Street
J0L 1B0, Kahnawake, Quebec, Canada
*The remains of St Kateri Tekakwitha rest within this church.
Mexico
Christopher Magallanes, priest and martyr, and Companions, martyrs (May 21st)
Honored on this day are 25 martyrs who died in Mexico from the years 1915-1937. (Relics: Totatiche, Mexico)
Parroquia de Nuestra Señora del Rosario
(Parish of Our Lady of the Rosary)
Totatiche, Mexico
*Relics of St Christopher Magallanes rest within a golden urn in this church. In 1927 he was arrested by Mexican officials while he was on his way to celebrate Mass. A few days later he was shot without a trial.
Miguel Agustin Pro, priest and martyr* (November 23rd)
Blessed Miguel Agustin Pro (d. 1927, Mexico City, Mexico) (Relics: Mexico City, Mexico)
Parroquia de la Sagrada Familia
(Parish of the Holy Family)
Calle Puebla 144
Colonia Roma, Mexico City, 06700, Mexico
*The remains of Blessed Miguel Agustin Pro rest within a silver reliquary to the right of the main sanctuary.
South America
Martin de Porres, religious (November 3rd) and Rose of Lima, virgin (August 23rd)
St Martin de Porres (d. 1639, Lima, Peru) (Relics: Lima, Peru)
St Rose of Lima (d. 1617, Lima, Peru) (Relics: Lima, Peru)
Convento de Santo Domingo
(Convent of Saint Dominic)
Jr. Camaná 170
Lima, Peru
*The remains of three prominent Peruvian saints rest within this convent. The tomb of St Martin de Porres is located within a chapel in the convent’s second cloister. St Rose of Lima is buried in the crypt below the Chapter House. Also located at this convent are the remains of St John Macías (d. 1645).
Peter Claver, priest* (September 9th)
St Peter Claver (d. 1654, Cartagena, Colombia) (Relics: Cartagena, Colombia)
Iglesia de San Pedro Claver
(Church of Saint Peter Claver)
Carrera 4
Cartagena, Bolivar, Colombia
*The remains of St Peter Claver rest under the main altar of this church. For forty years he attended to the many slaves who arrived in the city upon slave ships. Through his ministry he would offer at least a glimmer of hope and love before they were carted off to the auction blocks. It is estimated that during his life he baptized over 300,000 of these individuals.
Turibius of Mogrovejo, bishop (March 23rd)
St Turibius (d. 1606, Sana, Peru) (Relics: Lima, Peru)
Capilla del Palacio Arzobispal de Lima
(Chapel of the Archbishop’s Palace of Lima)
Plaza de Armas de Lima
Lima, Peru
*Some bones of St Turibius are preserved within a reliquary in this chapel. On his feast day these relics are often presented for public veneration within the Lima Cathedral. St Turibius was known for his evangelical activity as the Archbishop of Lima. During his time in Peru he is said to have baptized over 500,000 individuals including St Rose of Lima and St Martin de Porres.
*Note: The Memorials and Feasts listed above with an asterisk are specific to the National Calendar of the United States of America as requested by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and approved by the Holy See.
