Chapel of Relics
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About the Shrine
By Fr. Seán Connolly
On 31st May 1578, workers on the Via Salaria Nuova in Rome were digging up volcanic stone when suddenly they broke into a long-forgotten catacomb that ran beneath the vineyard. This event sparked a renewed interest in excavating the catacombs of the city to uncover the tombs and relics of the Church’s earliest popes, saints and martyrs.For almost 300 years, exploration of the catacombs was haphazard, until a young Italian named, Giovanni Battista de Rossi (1822-1894), took the lead in searching for and excavating Rome’s long forgotten subterranean cemeteries. His greatest achievement came in 1849 when he rediscovered the lost Catacombs of Callixtus along the Via Appia Antica containing the original tombs of St. Cecilia, St. Tarcisius and even the “Crypt of the Popes” which once contained the tombs of nine popes from the 2nd to the 4th centuries.
In many cases the original tombs of the martyrs that de Rossi discovered were empty, the relics having been moved centuries earlier to churches in the city. But there were many graves that remained intact, with the bones of martyrs preserved inside. Many of these saints were new to the Church—their names did not appear on the Roman Martyrology. When such tombs were found, the bones, the inscription on the tomb slab, and any objects found within the grave were examined for evidence that the deceased had been a Christian and had died a violent death as a martyr. If such evidence was found, the person would be added to the martyrology and would be listed in the catalogue of saints.
After the relic of the martyr, St. Datian, was uncovered during this time, it was given to a Roman noblewoman to be kept in her private chapel. When she was reduced to poverty and the Italian government was about to confiscate her property, she was advised to send the relic to the Redemptorist Fathers at the Church of the Most Holy Redeemer in New York City. The remains of the saint arrived on 12th August, 1892. A parish organization named the “Married Women of the Holy Family” made a gift of the Chapel of Relics to the church and the relic of St. Datian was installed there. A ceremony was held on 26th January, 1894.
Interred within the altar of this shrine is the major relic of the saint consisting of all his bones which have been enclosed in a small wooden box. This box is enclosed within a larger zinc case and over it was set the large wax figure that can be seen today.
We know that St. Datian was an early martyr but beyond that, nothing is certain about his life. There is speculation that he is the same Datian who was the prefect of Gaul under Emperors Diocletian and Maximian who acted in the Roman provinces of Spain. This Datian sentenced St. Vincent of Saragossa to torture and death in 304. During his martyrdom, Saint Vincent preserved such peace and tranquility that it astonished his jailor, who repented his sins and was converted. Perhaps the prefect Datian, was also inspired by St. Vincent’s witness and decided to repent and become a Christian, facing his own martyrdom as a result? Perhaps this is the same Datian whose mortal remains rest in peace here in the Church of the Most Holy Redeemer?
The Feast of St. Datian is listed in the Roman Martyrology as 30th October.
Over the years, the Redemptorist Fathers collected many more relics to be placed in this shrine. There are 152 in total, the list of which is posted here at the shrine.
Over the years, many have reported cures wrought through the intercession of St. Datian and have left votive offerings here at this shrine in grateful remembrance.
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Relic Shrine
Most Holy Redeemer is honored to host the relics of over 150 saints in a shrine on the Epistle side of the church nave. These saints and martyrs include the following:
Manger of Our Lord
Pillar of Scourging
Holy Cross
Holy Sepulchre
Girdle of the Blessed Virgin Mary
House of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Holy House of Loretto
Tomb of the Blessed Virgin
Mantle of St. Joseph
House of St. Joseph
St. Ann, Mother of the Blessed Virgin
St. Andrew, Apostle
St. Aelidorus, Martyr
St. Agapitus, Martyr
St. Athanasius, Bishop & Dr. of Church
St. Alphonsus, Bishop & Dr. of Church
St. Aloysius de Gonzaga, C.
St. Alexis, C.
St. Ambrose, Bishop & Dr. of Church
St. Augustin, Bishop & Dr. of Church
St. Anthony, C.
St. Agnes, Virgin and Martyr
St. Agatha, Virgin and Martyr
St. Agaza, Virgin and Martyr
St. Anastasia, Martyr
St. Bartholomew, Apostle
St. Barnaby, Apostle
St. Benedict, Martyr
St. Benedict, Ab.
St. Benedict Jos. Labre, C.
St. Bernard, Ab.
Bl. Bonaventure, P.
St. Charles Borromeo, Card. Bishop
St. Clement, Martyr
St. Castus, Martyr
St. Celestin, Martyr
St. Cosmas
Bl. Clement M. Hoffbauer, C.
St. Columban, Ab.
St. Camillus de Lellis, C.
St. Cajetan, C.
St. Crispin, C.
St. Cecilia, Virgin and Martyr
St. Catharine, Virgin and Martyr
St. Catherine of Siena, Virgin
St. Clementina, Virgin and Martyr
St. Christiana, Virgin and Martyr
St. Candida, Martyr
St. Clara, Virgin and Martyr
St. Clara of Assisi
St. Cunigund, Empress
St. Damian, Martyr
St. Donatus, Martyr
St. Dominic, C
St. Domitilla, Virgin and Martyr
St. Emeritus, Martyr
St. Eusebius, Martyr
St. Evaristus, Martyr
St. Elizabeth, Mother of St. John the Baptist
St. Elizabeth of Hungary
62. St. Fabian, Martyr
63. St. Fortunatus, MartyrSt. Joachim
64. St. Faustus, Martyr
65. St. Francis of Assisi
66. St. Francis Xavier
67. St. Flavia, Virgin and Martyr
68. St. Florentina, Virgin and Martyr
69. St. Frances de Chantal
70. St. Gaudent, Martyr
71. St. Gervase, Martyr
72. St. Gregory Nazianzen, Bishop & Dr. of Church
73. St. Gregory the Great
74. Bl. Gerard Mary Majella, C.
75. St. Gerard, Ab.
76. St. Hilary, Martyr
77. St. Hippolyt Gal., C.
78. St. Henry, Emperor
79. St. Jerome, Doctor of the Church
80. St. Illuminatus, Martyr
81. St. Ignatius Loyola
82. St. Irene, Virgin and Martyr
83. St. Isidor, Bishop and Doctor
84. St. Joachim, Father of the Blessed Virgin
85. St. John Baptist
86. St. John Evangelist
87. St. John, Martyr
88. St. James Major, Apostle
89. St. James Minor, Apostle
90. St. Justin, Martyr
91. St. Jovian, Martyr
92. St, Jucundus, Martyr
93. St. Josaphat, Martyr
94. St. John Chrysostom, Bishop and Doctor
95. St. Justina, Virgin and Martyr
96. St. Julia, Virgin and Martyr
97. St. Luke, Evangelist
98. St. Lawrence, Martyr
99. St. Liberatus, Martyr
100. St. Lucy, Virgin and Martyr
101. St. Lupercilla, Virgin and Martyr
102. St. Matthew, Evangelist
103. St. Mathias, Apostle
104. St. Mark, Evangelist
105. St. Martin, Martyr
106. St. Magnus, Martyr
107. St. Maurus, Ab.
108. St. Mary Magdalene, Penitent
109. St. Margaret Mary Alacoque
110. St. Nicholas, Bishop
111. St. Nonnosus, Ab.
112. St. Odelia, Virgin and Martyr
113. St. Odelia, Virgin and Abbess
114. St. Peter, Apostle
115. St. Paul, Apostle
116. St. Philip, Apostle
117. St. Paul, Martyr
118. St. Protase, Martyr
119. St. Primus, Martyr
120. St. Pastor, Martyr
121. St. Policarp, Martyr
122. St. Pancratius, Martyr
123. St. Placidus, Martyr
124. St. Pudens, Martyr
125. St. Prosper, Martyr
126. St. Peter Chrysologus, Bishop and Doctor
127. St. Peter Damian, Bishop and Doctor
128. St. Philip Neri
129. St. Pacifica, Virgin and Martyr
130. St. Philomena, Virgin and Martyr
131. St. Romuald, Ab.
132. St. Redempta, Virgin and Martyr
133. St. Simon, Apostle
134. St. Stephen, Martyr
135. St. Sebastian, Martyr
136. St. Severus, Martyr
137. St. Sylvester
138. St. Sabbas
139. St. Thomas, Apostle
140. St. Thaddeus, Apostle
141. St. Timothy, Martyr
142. St. Theodolus, Martyr
143. St. Theodosius, Martyr
144. St. Theodora, M.
145. St. Teresa, Virgin
146. St. Ursula’s Companions, Martyrs
147. St. Vincent, Martyr
148. St. Vincent de Paul
149. St. Victor, Martyr
150. St. Victoria, Virgin and Martyr
151. St. Vincentia, Virgin and Martyr
152. St. Wolfgang
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