22-05-2025
Relic of saint found by students at Dublin secondary school
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Students at a north Dublin secondary school have discovered a relic of a saint that is believed to date back to the second or third century.
RTE News reports that a vial of blood of Saint Hilarii was found by a group of students at St Vincent's Secondary School in Glasnevin last week. The discovery was made when the students were moving the school's altar from upstairs down to the hall to prepare for a graduation ceremony.
The large parcel was wrapped in paper and had a Latin label. After being brought to the principal's office, a translation of the label suggested it contained the remains of a saint.
Principal Máire Quinn sought advice from the National Museum and staff at Glasnevin Cemetery and also contacted the archives of the Edmund Rice Trust of which the former Christian Brothers School is a part of. With everything indicating that the relic was legitimate, the school contacted Catholic Church's Fr William Purcell, who is the owner of more than 2,000 relics.
An examination of the relic by Fr Purcell determined that it was a "first class genuine relic of the martyr Hilarii". The vile of blood was visible through the window of the wax sealed box.
The altar came to St Vincent's in Glasnevin from O'Connell's School in the city centre over three decades ago but nobody appeared to be aware that the relic was contained inside.
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