ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — A holy relic from patron, Saint Augustine of Hippo’s body is resting in the city that bears his name.
The Rev. Tom Willis, rector of the Cathedral Basilica, explained Hippo’s importance in the Catholic Church.
“(Saint Augustine) became one of its best teachers, if not one of the most prominent teachers of the Christian Catholic faith that the church has ever known,” Willis said.
But his life wasn’t perfect. He’s often called the sinner turned saint.
Willis said it took the diocese nearly four years to get the relic in time for the city’s 450th anniversary.
"We had to ensure the security of this, not only with our own security system, but also with personal security staffing to make sure that this is not going to be out of anybody's sight,” Willis said.
The relic has never left the Vatican until now, and it traveled to the city in a robust case. Church leaders say the relic will remain under 24-hour surveillance, and when it's not on display, it will be kept in a massive vault.
The relic sits in a crucifix that dates back to 1904, but the relic dates back to the fifth century.
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“In this case, it's a bone. We believe it's the knuckle of one of his fingers,” Willis said.
The church will hold a welcome ceremony for the relic of Saint Augustine at 7 p.m. Tuesday. The public is invited to attend the welcoming ceremony.
The relic will remain in the city through the 450th commemoration and will go back to the Vatican on Sept. 30.
WJAX
