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| All ye holy saints, orate pro nobis |
God, in His goodness, has willed that the Saints should be distributed among the nations, so that their aid might never be wanting to us weak mortals. If He has given the principal cities to the greatest Saints for their residence, the grace with which they are endowed for our sake is not confined to the places where their entire bodies rest; where there are but small portions, there is the same power, and God thus gives testimony to their credit in heaven. From the holy deposit the sacred ashes are scattered abroad, and become the seeds of life; let but the least drop be taken from the spring, and it is itself a source producing rivers of grace and of love. ~ St. Paulinus of Nola.1
According to the 1962 Missal of St. John XXIII, November 5th is the Feast of the Holy Relics. Formally celebrated on the fourth Sunday of October and other dates (e.g. October 26th according to a 19th century breviary printed in Naples), it is customary for churches, especially those with large collections of relics, to combine the memorials into one general feast so the earthly remains of the Saints in Heaven can be venerated by the faithful.2 To dishonor or profane them is sacrilege and a sin. In celebration, I'm posting the hymn Sanctorum Meritis. Pictured is a reliquary containing the relics of various Martyrs from the Spanish Civil War on the high altar at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Newark, New Jersey.
Sanctorum Meritis
Let us together celebrate the glorious delights merited by the Saints, and their heroic deeds: for the mind exults to proclaim in song these the noblest of conquerors. These are they whom the world in its folly abhorred; while they, the faithful followers of Thy name, O Jesus merciful King of the heavenly citizens, despised the world as barren and devoid of fruits and flowers. For Thy sake they scorned the range of men, their savage threats and cruel stripes: the fiercely rending hook, vanquished by their courage, left the brave heart untouched. Like sheep, they are slaughtered by the sword: not a murmur, not a complaint escapes them; but with unqualing heart, the soul, conscious of right, preserves its patience. What voice, what tongue could relate the rewards Thou preparest for the Martyrs? For, adorned with the purple of their own blood, they bind their brows with victory's glittering laurels. We beseech thee, O supreme and only God, that Thou wouldst cleanse away our sins, remove all evils, and grant peace to Thy servants, that they may sing glory to Thee for all ages to come. Amen.
V. The Saints shall rejoice in glory;
R. They shall be joyful in their beds.
Sanctorum Meritis
Let us together celebrate the glorious delights merited by the Saints, and their heroic deeds: for the mind exults to proclaim in song these the noblest of conquerors. These are they whom the world in its folly abhorred; while they, the faithful followers of Thy name, O Jesus merciful King of the heavenly citizens, despised the world as barren and devoid of fruits and flowers. For Thy sake they scorned the range of men, their savage threats and cruel stripes: the fiercely rending hook, vanquished by their courage, left the brave heart untouched. Like sheep, they are slaughtered by the sword: not a murmur, not a complaint escapes them; but with unqualing heart, the soul, conscious of right, preserves its patience. What voice, what tongue could relate the rewards Thou preparest for the Martyrs? For, adorned with the purple of their own blood, they bind their brows with victory's glittering laurels. We beseech thee, O supreme and only God, that Thou wouldst cleanse away our sins, remove all evils, and grant peace to Thy servants, that they may sing glory to Thee for all ages to come. Amen.
V. The Saints shall rejoice in glory;
R. They shall be joyful in their beds.
Sources:
1) Feast of the Holy Relics from saintscatholic.blogspot.com
2) Feast of the Holy Relics from newliturgicalmovement.org
