The Relic Chapel
PHOTO SUBMITTED BY THE BENEDICTINE SISTERS OF PERPETUAL ADORATION
The Relic Chapel at the Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration in Clyde.
CLYDE, Mo. — The Relic Chapel at the Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration in Clyde is home to more than 550 first- and second-class relics of saints. This makes it one of the largest collections of Catholic relics in the United States. The chapel is open to the public and is a popular destination for pilgrims and those seeking a deeper connection with their faith.
Relics are physical objects that hold religious or spiritual significance, often associated with a saint, a religious figure or a sacred event. Relics can be categorized into three types: first-class relics (physical remains of a saint, such as bones or hair), second-class relics (items owned or used by a saint, such as clothing or tools) and third-class relics (objects that have touched a first- or second-class relic, such as cloth or medallions).
The Relic Chapel is home to 142 martyrs, 81 virgins, 46 bishops, 44 confessors, 14 doctors of the church, 12 abbots and abbesses, 11 popes, the 12 apostles, and numerous other saints. The most significant relic is the complete skeleton of the virgin martyr, St. Beatrice. Taken from the Roman catacombs of St. Pontiani, the relic is enshrined in the altar as the bones of the head are preserved in a silk case beneath the shoulders. An artificial wax head is seen with a sword wound in the neck, indicating the tragic cause of her early death.
How did such an important collection come to reside in Nodaway County?
After World War I, under the leadership of Fr. Lukas Etlin, the Benedictine Sisters initiated a significant charitable effort to support European convents, monasteries and orphanages through their publication, “Tabernacle and Purgatory.” They raised and distributed more than $2 million to aid these struggling communities. In gratitude for this support, European religious communities sent numerous sacred relics to the sisters. These relics served as tokens of faith and friendship, creating a lasting spiritual and cultural connection between the sisters in rural Missouri and their European counterparts.
Visit the NCHS Museum at 110 N. Walnut St. to learn more about the history of Nodaway County, including the region’s religious history. We have extensive religious history displays on the second floor of the museum. The museum is open March to December on Tuesdays to Fridays from 1 to 4 p.m. and on the second Saturday of each month from 9 to 11 a.m. We also host monthly programs and are free to the public.
Upcoming events include a program about crime in Nodaway County on Thursday, Oct. 23, at 7 p.m. and an induction ceremony to our Stairway of Stars for Lt. Albert Leroy David for his World War II service. There also will be a fundraiser with a soup buffet on Sunday, Oct. 12, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Attendees may sample a variety of homemade soups for $15 a person.
Learn more about the museum’s work on its website nodawaycountymuseum.com. Contact the museum at [email protected] or 660-582-8176.
PHOTO SUBMITTED BY THE BENEDICTINE SISTERS OF PERPETUAL ADORATION
Relics in the Relic Chapel are shown at the Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration.
