- Hundreds visited Holy Infancy Church in South Bethlehem on Tuesday to pay homage to the relic of St. Jude, which is making a North American tour
- The Apostle’s arm was removed from a tomb at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome years ago and bone fragments were placed in a wood reliquary carved in the shape of an arm imparting a blessing
- St. Jude is the patron saint of hopeless causes
BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Marion Heck’s 63-year-old son, Carl, died in January.
On Tuesday, Heck, an 89-year-old northeastern Pennsylvania resident, made the three-hour round-trip drive to Bethlehem to visit the relic of St. Jude.
To say thanks.
For without the divine assistance of St. Jude, the patron saint of hopeless cases, Heck is unequivocally convinced her boy’s life would have ended tragically 45 years earlier.
“I prayed to St. Jude and he gave me back my son.”Marion Heck
“Without St. Jude’s help, I’m sure my son would not have gotten better way back when,” Heck said, wearing an expression of gratitude. “I prayed to St. Jude and he gave me back my son.”
For the first time ever, the Vatican has made available the relic of St. Jude on a 100-city North American tour.
On Tuesday afternoon inside the lavish baroque Holy Infancy Church, hundreds paid homage during the one-day event. That evening, a Mass of celebration of St. Jude was held.
Several centuries ago, the Apostle’s arm was removed from a tomb at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome and bone fragments were placed in a wood reliquary carved in the shape of an arm imparting a blessing.
In the Catholic church, relics are physical objects that have a direct association with the saints or with the Lord.
'People right now need hope'
So there, just outside the altar, Heck kneeled before the glass-encased relic of St. Jude and offered thanks for saving her son’s life long ago at a time when his promising world before him was fading to black.
“He had this growth on his neck,” Heck said as visitors lined the length of the grand church for hours for an opportunity to visit the relic.
“The local hospital said it was serious. We went to Johns Hopkins [Hospital] in Baltimore, one of the best. We were there for several weeks.
“But every day, I was so worried. I went to the St. Jude Shrine, about 10 minutes from the hospital, and prayed and prayed. Then one day, we took him home. He was OK.
“That’s why I’m here."
The Rev. Carlos Martins, director of the Vatican ministry and ecclesiastically appointed curate of relics, is directing the tour of the relic that began in September and concludes in June.
“My goal was to take the relic into every major diocese,” Martins said. “I’ve been here before with Treasures of the Church exhibit [in 2021], when there were 150 different relics. So I reached out to them here in that context.
"There’s anxiety due to war. You have people coming off the effects of the pandemic. There are long-COVID effects, physical effects that people are experiencing and suffering from, and from long-term isolation that have left many people in a state of depression and anxiety. The Vatican thought that this is a wonderful time to bring the patron saint of hope to the people.”The Rev. Carlos Martins, director of the Vatican ministry and ecclesiastically appointed curate of relics
“St. Jude is the patron saint of hope. And so, people right now need hope because of various things in the world right now.
"There’s anxiety due to war. You have people coming off the effects of the pandemic. There are long-COVID effects, physical effects that people are experiencing and suffering from, and from long-term isolation that have left many people in a state of depression and anxiety.
“The Vatican thought that this is a wonderful time to bring the patron saint of hope to the people.”
According to Scripture, St. Jude is a New Testament saint and apostle who personally knew, walked with and lived with Jesus. The Gospel of John records St. Jude speaking with Jesus at the Last Supper.
After visiting St. Jude, Marion Heck and her family spent a few moments seated in a pew. Before leaving the church, she turned back toward the relic near the altar and offered a wave of thanks.
For those extra 45 years.
