Basilica of the Sacred Heart

"The relics of the saints are more precious than silver and gold." These words of Fr. Edward Sorin epitomize the reverence in which the founder of the University of Notre Dame held these holy treasures of the Church. Accordingly, the Reliquary Chapel of the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, containing 19-century stained-glass windows depicting reliquaries, was consecrated along with the other apsidal chapels and Lady Chapel on August 15th, 1888. Certificates guaranteeing the validity of the relics in the Reliquary Chapel date back as early as 1832 and are housed in the Basilica's sacristy. Veneration shown to relics is part of the general honor and veneration proper to the angels and saints which the Catholic Church recommends to the faithful. This veneration is of course to be kept entirely distinct from the adoration appropriate to God alone.