Figuring in signs a divine dying by a threefold immersion in water,
we are buried with Christ by Baptism,
and participating in His Resurrection on the third day,
we cry aloud to Him: Blessed art Thou.
POINTS FROM CORRESPONDENCE
“JUST a thought on something from an old issue of the Wolf [The Shepherd]. Doesn’t it seem a little odd to rely on DNA testing to identify the relics of the Royal Martyrs? In St. Helena’s time, they didn’t identify the true Cross by means of ‘modern science.’ There have been other times when long lost saints’ relics have been found and identified, but not through ‘scientific’ tests. (Usually, I think, the saint appears in a vision to someone.) Perhaps the MP [Mosocw Patriarchate] is correct to approach the results of modern tests with doubt. Our faith in God in these progressive times seems to be sadly lacking.” - M.L., U.S.A., by email.
I TEND to agree with you about “scientific” testing of holy things. I do not know if it is technically wrong, - science after all has its place, - but it just goes against the grain and strikes me as rather irreverent. I am not sure if I could defend that position rationally. With regard to the testing of the relics of the Russian Royal Martyrs, it appears that the processes used were questionable, and therefore not of much use in any case, and it seems that, at the time, the Moscow Patriarchate exercised a certain wisdom in being reticent about accepting them.
People have asked us whether the relics we have of St Edward are genuine. Of course, we will not be absolutely sure until the general resurrection, but I always say that we have more indications that they are genuine than of many of the other relics in our churches. After all, very often relics are simply presented to churches and individuals and one is told this is a relic of Saint X - one has no history or back-up information at all. In the case of St Edward, we have information about the relics’ provenance, but, more than that, the activity the evil one stirred up at the time of their reception in 1984 strongly indicates that they are genuine - would he have incited such opposition, cases in the High Court, newspaper magazine supplement articles, questions in Parliament, the Royal Family and Lambeth Palace involved, etc, - had we been duped into taking into our care some bones of a unknown Saxon youth? I think not. Further, we have had the evidence of the help that people have received and the healings from his intercessions, even the very continuance of our own rather frail brotherhood and mission here.
Editor’s postscript: Since this exchange, we have been sent an article by another lady in the States, about St Nicolas the Wonderworker’s relics. Apparently, scientists have been able to re-form his facial features - or they think they have - he looks a little Neanderthal to me - from a study of his skull. Now, to what purpose? At least the DNA testing of the reputed relics of the Royal Martyrs of Russia was to ascertain their authenticity. The St Nicolas investigation seems to be simply idle curiosity. One is dismayed that the (R.C.) ecclesiastical authorities even allowed it.
