An Extraordinary Exhibit of Relics of the Saints Will Visit Tampa Bay This May
Father Carlos Martins, a Vatican-appointed expert on relics, will be here visiting our area with a Vatican collection of over 160 relics, some as old as 2,000 years.
Father Carlos Martins, a Vatican-appointed expert on relics, will be here visiting our area with a Vatican collection of over 160 relics, some as old as 2,000 years.
Just weeks after celebrating the Resurrection, the faithful will have the opportunity to venerate the sacred remains of the Church’s heroes.
Father Carlos Martins, CC, a Custos Reliquiarum (ecclesiastically-appointed Curate of Relics), will return to Florida this month, with a Vatican exhibit of more than 160 relics of saints canonized by the Catholic Church. It is highlighted by one of the largest remaining relics of the True Cross in the world, as well as a piece of the veil that, according to ancient tradition, is believed to have belonged to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Father Martins begins each exposition with a 60-minute presentation and teaching on relics which provides the catechetical and spiritual basis for the Walk with the Saints that follows the presentation. The point of the teaching is the presentation of the basic Gospel message of Jesus Christ: that God is here right now and wants to be encountered; He touches us through the lives and the sacred remains of His saints.
“God never disappoints ... he always ‘shows up,’” remarks Fr. Martins. “There are healings at every exposition. Thousands have been reported since this ministry began.”
Though a great number of miracles have been physical, he admits that the most spectacular are the healing of faith where a new and deeper relationship with God and His saints are formed in the faithful.
“It is a most wonderful thing to see a parish, school, or prison renewed after an exposition. That is the basis for this ministry’s existence.”
Standing-room-only crowds are typical at each location he visits. Invitations from bishops and pastors desiring to host an exposition regularly pour into his office.
The two opportunities to attend are:
Sunday, May 8 at 6:30 p.m.
St. Theresa Church
1107 Commercial Way
Spring Hill
(352) 683-2849
Friday, May 13 at 6:30 pm
St. Paul Catholic Church
12708 N Dale Mabry Hwy
Tampa
(813) 961-3023
“Many who attend the expositions experience a renewal of faith and are deeply moved by their encounters with these treasures of the Church,” remarks Cardinal Raymond Burke, former Prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura.
Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, Archbishop of Galveston-Houston, who has hosted over 80 expositions in his diocese alone, adds, “As models and intercessors, the saints are our benefactors, aiding us with the example of their lives and by their prayers, something that [Fr. Martins] has worked hard to instill in every Catholic.”
Since converting from atheism 25 years ago, Father Martins has worked closely with the Vatican to bring this renowned collection of relics to churches, schools and prisons throughout the world. The collection includes relics of St. Mary Magdalene, the Apostles, St. Joseph, St. Maria Goretti, St. Therese of Lisieux (the "Little Flower"), St. Francis of Assisi, St. Anthony of Padua, St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Ignatius Loyola, and St. Faustina Kowalska.
See www.treasuresofthechurch.com for an up-to-date listing of exposition times and locations. Admission is free.
*Note: The Catholic tradition of venerating relics is like a family continuing to cherish the belongings of a relative that died. It’s a sign of respect, of nearness or remembrance. Veneration of relics isn’t worship, but simply a way to honor and draw near to the saints, petitioning for their prayers, since they are believed to be so close to God. Scriptural references for God’s acting through relics can be found at http://www.treasuresofthechurch.com/about-relics.
