1552What is the veneration of relics?
The veneration of relics, a centuries-old tradition in Christianity, takes on vivid meaning with the arm of St. Francis Xavier, one of history's most renowned missionaries, touring Canada in 2018. Revered for his daring missions across Asia and his role as co-founder of the Jesuits, Xavier is believed to have baptized nearly 100,000 people with the very arm now displayed. For the first time, this extraordinary relic made a 14-city pilgrimage across Canada, drawing thousands in celebration of faith and history. Remarkably, his arm and body have remained incorrupt since his death in 1552, a phenomenon that has inspired devotion for nearly five centuries.