“…so that they even carried out the sick into the streets, and laid them on
cots and mats, in order that Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as
he came by” (Acts 5:15).
“...so that when the handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his (St.
Paul’s) skin were brought to the sick, their diseases left them, and the evil
spirits came out of them” (Acts 19:12).
Miracles were also wrought through relics belonging to Old Testament
saints while they were still alive: Elias’ mantle parted the Jordan River (2
Kgs. 2:8-14); and the rod of Moses performed prodigies in the presence of
Pharaoh (Exod. 7:10).
We may add to these examples the veneration shown to the bones of Moses
(Exod. 13:19; Josh. 24:32) in stark contrast to the Jewish ceremonial laws
against contact with the dead (Num. 19:11ff.).
Faithful Jews also sought miracles through objects of Christ Himself:
“And behold, a woman who had suffered from a hemorrhage for twelve
years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment; for she
said to herself, ‘If I only touch his garment, I shall be made well.’ Jesus
turned, and seeing her he said, ‘Take heart, daughter; your faith has made
you well.’ And instantly the woman was made well” (St. Matt. 9:20-22).
“And wherever he came, in villages, cities, or country, they laid the sick in
the market places, and besought him that they might touch even the fringe
of his garment; and as many as touched it were made well” (St. Mark
6:56).
There exist, literally, thousands of cases of miracles worked through relics.
In the writings of the Church Fathers, we find both St. Ambrose and St.
Augustine relating miraculous stories, not only stories they heard and read,
but also miracles they themselves had personally witnessed at the tombs of
martyrs (St. Ambrose: Epist. 22, 2 & 17; St. Augustine: Serm. 284, 5; City
of God 22, 8; Confessions 9,
7). The Protestant historian Harnack in his
History of Dogmas is forced to admit that “no Church doctor of repute
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