Talk:Translation (relic)

Untitled
The second paragraph, as it stands, states that translation of relics is no longer the means by which a saint is recognized or "canonized." In the Orthodox Christian churches, translation of relics is still the standard outward sign of a saint's glorification. I'd like to change the paragraph to read something like this:
 * The solemn translation (in Latin, elevatio corporis) of relics is treated as the outward recognition of heroic sanctity, and is equivalent to canonization in the Orthodox Christian churches. It had the same function in the Roman Catholic Church until the official canonization process became standardized and the prerogative of the Pope.

--Buddhagazelle 19:05, 31 July 2007 (UTC)


 * I think you should be bold and go ahead with this change. &mdash; Kpalion(talk) 19:25, 31 July 2007 (UTC)

No, you shouldn't as a translation was not proof of sanctity. Miracles were the proof. A translation was something that happened only to a saint, whether they were 'officially' recognized as a saint or not.

Also, the Latin for translation is--shock, horror--'translatio' not 'elevatio'. 'Elevatio' is the raising of the saint from their original resting place following, if the saint has only recently been discovered, their 'inventio'. Could someone change that? I can't find an edit button on the main page.

Translation of statues
A frequent legend template is that somebody finds a statue of X (usually the Virgin Mary) in the countryside. The villagers try to move it to their church. They can't because miraculously the statue appears back in the original place or the oxen refuse to move. They get the clue and build a new shrine in the original place. For an example, see Our Lady of Meritxell. Is this relocation of statues a "translation"? --84.20.17.84 11:44, 14 November 2007 (UTC)

No, it's a statue, not a saint. What you describe does, however, follow a topos often found in hagiography (especially in thefts, which the Geary book deals with) whereby the saint either shows their support for or against some attempt to relocate (or steal...) them by becoming unliftable in order to prevent it. Obviously, if the saint could be lifted then that was taken as a sign that they agreed, which is rather handy for those in the habit of nicking saints' relics. That pun wasn't really intended but it's going to stay ;)

Strictly speaking this article is about 'Translatio Sancti' which involved a number of different aspects/events. The book 'Furta Sacra' by Patrick J. Geary is a good source of information about this process. More recently other books are being published as well.

Translatio Sancti
Strictly speaking this article is about 'Translatio Sancti' which involved a number of different aspects/events. The book 'Furta Sacra' by Patrick J. Geary is a good source of information about this process. More recently other books are being published as well. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 81.132.244.60 (talk) 14:14, 20 May 2010 (UTC)


 * I agree. I recently finished reading Furta Sacra, and the information Geary discusses in his book is somewhat groundbreaking. Rickington (talk) 18:41, 2 November 2011 (UTC)

Chrysostom/John Paul II
"A famous and recent example is the return of the relics of St. John Chrysostom and St. Gregory of Nazianzus to the See of Constantinople (Greek Orthodox Church) by Pope John Paul II in 2007." This would have been quite an achievement since John Paul died in 2005. SHJohnson (talk) 12:28, 17 March 2016 (UTC)