Latest news with #relic
BBC News
11 hours ago
- General
- BBC News
Canterbury church seeks to exhume severed head of saint
A church is seeking permission to exhume the skull of a saint executed on the orders of King Henry VIII hundreds of years Thomas More was Henry's chancellor and his refusal to acknowledge the king's supremacy over the Church of England saw him put to death in July while his body is lost in an unmarked grave within the Tower of London, his severed head was saved by his daughter and entombed with her in the family vault at St Dunstan's in Sue Palmer said that being in possession of the "only piece of More remaining" will make the church a "centre of global interest" come the 500th anniversary of his death in 2035. Venerated by the Catholic church as a saint in 1935, More's remains are considered holy relics and attract pilgrims from around the world."It's highly unusual for an Anglican Church to have a relic, especially one of a Catholic saint," said Ms Palmer, adding that More's head had to be removed from a spike on London Bridge before finding its way to St Dunstan's."In the wall there is a niche and behind that there is what looks like a leaden squashed football."At some time someone hacked a hole in that and inside is what remains of Thomas More." Although she has not seen the remains herself, the tomb has previously been opened by archaeologists, the most recent occasion being 1997."From what they could see there were a few pieces of skull, a bit of jawbone with a tooth socket, some unidentifiable black matter and lots of dust," Ms Palmer revealed the church is currently consulting the congregation and seeking permission from the Diocesan Advisory Committee to retrieve the while the intention is not to "display" them as such, general feedback suggests that many would like them to be "more accessible" to visitors.
CBS News
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Chicago Catholic church to host relic from soon-to-be millennial saint
A rare relic tied to a future saint made a stop in Chicago this week. People attending mass Tuesday night at St. Hedwig Church, at 2226 N. Hoyne Ave. in the Bucktown neighborhood, were set to be able to see it. Reaching the heights of sainthood may not seem like a modern-day story, until one hears about a 15-year-old boy in Milan, Italy, named Carlo Acutis. "His memory and his influence was so great that it impacts us today," said Father Ed Howe. Howe called Carlo Acutis' story amazing. "At an early age, he created websites about eucharistic miracles," Howe said. Father Howe is the pastor at the only parish named for the soon-to-be saint from the Millennial generation, Blessed Carlo Acutis Parish, of which St. Hedwig is a part. "Carlo Acutis was someone who people have called the patron saint of the internet," said Fr. Howe. "He was playing video games, and he probably had an email. He might be the only saint who had an email." St. Hedwig is already home to a relic of Carlo Acutis, who died of leukemia in 2006. The relic consists of a little lock of his hair. Just weeks before Carlo Acutis is officially canonized by Pope Leo XIV, another relic is visiting Chicago too. Archbishop Domenico Sorrentino brought a piece of Carlo Acutis' heart from Italy. "To send people the heart of Carlo," said Sorrentino, "the pericardium, which is the skin around the heart." People can see the relic Tuesday night after Sorrentino holds a special mass at St. Hedwig Church. "When you look at Carlo, you say: 'This is something that works also for me. I can be a saint,'" said Sorrentino. The archbishop said it was the love in the millennial's heart that will make him a saint. "His influence lives on today in so many different ways as an example of how to live holiness for young people in today's world with all its different challenges," said Fr. Howe.
The Independent
08-07-2025
- General
- The Independent
What a suspected bomb at a Hong Kong construction site turned out to be
A suspected bomb found at a construction site in Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong, on Tuesday prompted a brief police cordon and evacuation of workers. Police explosive experts identified the object as a British cannon barrel, measuring about four metres long, and subsequently declared the area safe. The barrel, unearthed approximately three metres underground, dates back to British colonial rule, a period when Hong Kong was a target during World War II. It is fairly common for relics, including unexploded ordnance from past conflicts, particularly World War II, to be discovered during construction or excavation work in the city. Previous significant finds in Hong Kong include a 500-pound Japanese bomb in 2022 and a British naval mine, both of which were safely detonated.
