On 31st May 1578, workers on the Via Salaria Nuova in Rome were digging up volcanic stone when suddenly they broke into a long-forgotten catacomb that ran beneath the vineyard. This event sparked a renewed interest in excavating the catacombs of the city to uncover the tombs and relics of the Church’s earliest popes, saints and martyrs.

For almost 300 years, exploration of the catacombs was haphazard, until a young Italian named, Giovanni Battista de Rossi (1822-1894), took the lead in searching for and excavating Rome’s long forgotten subterranean cemeteries. His greatest achievement came in 1849 when he rediscovered the lost Catacombs of Callixtus along the Via Appia Antica containing the original tombs of St. Cecilia, St. Tarcisius and even the “Crypt of the Popes” which once contained the tombs of nine popes from the 2nd to the 4th centuries.

In many cases the original tombs of the martyrs that de Rossi discovered were empty, the relics having been moved centuries earlier to churches in the city. But there were many graves that remained intact, with the bones of martyrs preserved inside. Many of these saints were new to the Church—their names did not appear on the Roman Martyrology. When such tombs were found, the bones, the inscription on the tomb slab, and any objects found within the grave were examined for evidence that the deceased  had been a Christian and had died a violent death as a martyr. If such evidence was found, the person would be added to the martyrology and would be listed in the catalogue of saints. 

After the relic of the martyr, St. Datian, was uncovered during this time, it was given to a Roman noblewoman to be kept in her private chapel. When she was reduced to poverty and the Italian government was about to confiscate her property, she was advised to send the relic to the Redemptorist Fathers at the Church of the Most Holy Redeemer in New York City. The remains of the saint arrived on 12th August, 1892. A parish organization named the “Married Women of the Holy Family” made a gift of the Chapel of Relics to the church and the relic of St. Datian was installed there. A ceremony was held on 26th January, 1894.

Interred within the altar of this shrine is the major relic of the saint consisting of all his bones which have been enclosed in a small wooden box. This box is enclosed within a larger zinc case and over it was set the large wax figure that can be seen today.

We know that St. Datian was an early martyr but beyond that, nothing is certain about his life. There is speculation that he is the same Datian who was the prefect of Gaul under Emperors Diocletian and Maximian who acted in the Roman provinces of Spain. This Datian sentenced St. Vincent of Saragossa to torture and death in 304. During his martyrdom, Saint Vincent preserved such peace and tranquility that it astonished his jailor, who repented his sins and was converted. Perhaps the prefect Datian, was also inspired by St. Vincent’s witness and decided to repent and become a Christian, facing his own martyrdom as a result? Perhaps this is the same Datian whose mortal remains rest in peace here in the Church of the Most Holy Redeemer?

The Feast of St. Datian is listed in the Roman Martyrology as 30th October. 

Over the years, the Redemptorist Fathers collected many more relics to be placed in this shrine. There are 152 in total, the list of which is posted here at the shrine.

Over the years, many have reported cures wrought through the intercession of St. Datian and have left votive offerings here at this shrine in grateful remembrance. 
 

When the Saints Come Marching Over…

The Major Relics of Saints Preserved in the Churches of the Province

Saint Nazarius of "Boston"

Saint Sergius of "Ilchester"

Saint Justin of "Annapolis"

Saint Datian of "New York City"

Blessed John Neumann and the Holy Martyrs of "Philadelphia"

How it came about…

A century ago, in the 1870s, the complete relics of three Roman martyrs found their way from Italy to Redemptorist Communities in Boston, Ilchester, and Annapolis. At the same time a collection of relics of the "Holy Martyrs of Treves" came to St. Peter's, Philadelphia. Later in the 1890s, the relics of a fourth Roman martyr were enshrined in Most Holy Redeemer Church, New York City. The story behind the discovery, preservation, translation, and final deposition of these relics forms an interesting episode of the Province.

Their discovery…

The four saints received the crown of martyrdom in Rome during the persecutions of the first three centuries: St. Nazarius in the reign of Emperor Marcus Aurelius (161-180); St. Sergius under Julian the Apostate (361-363); and Sts. Datian and Justin died for the faith under Emperor Maximus (308-314). Their bodies were interred with accounts of their martyrdom in the Catacombs of St. Callistus on the Appian Way.

In the 17th and 18th centuries many of the ancient Christian burial places were rediscovered by archaeological teams. The relics of Sts. Nazarius, Sergius, and Justin were found on April 18, 1757. The relics of St. Datian were located in 1762. The first three mentioned saints were preserved in the private chapel of a noble family in Perugia. St. Datian was placed in a similar chapel in Rome.

Because of the political upheavals in central Italy in the 1860s and the gradual occupation of the Papal States by the emerging Kingdom of Italy, the estates of many of the local nobility were confiscated and their former owners reduced to poverty. The relics that had been in Perugia were removed and entrusted for safe-keeping to the Bishop of Citta del Pieve, Italy, Monsignor Emidius Foschini who in 1869 carefully re-documented the relics and in turn confided them to the Benedictines of Subiaco Abbey.

The Redemptorists acquire the relics…

The prior of Subiaco at that time was Father Raphael Wissel, OSB, the brother of our own Redemptorist confrere- Father Joseph Wissel. With the authorization of the abbot, Father Raphael offered the relics to his brother for the Redemptorists in America. In view of the sacrilegious outrages being committed in those days by the invaders of the Pope's domain, the Benedictines willingly presented the relics to the Baltimore Providence.

The three sealed containers were shipped to the United States in 1873 and arrived in New York City in September. Catholic officials at the Custom House arranged to have the relics pass through unopened with the proviso that they would be inspected later on at the Third Street Rectory. This came to pass- to the utter amazement of one of the Protestant inspectors who remarked, "What a strange religion this must be to pay all of these import charges for three boxes of bones!"

Father Wissel, with the permission of the Provincial, arranged to have the relics distributed thus: St. Nazarius to Mission Church, Boston; St. Sergius to the House of Studies, Ilchester; and St. Justin to the Novitiate at Annapolis.

St. Datian's relics travelled a different path. They remained in their Roman chapel until 1890 at which time, due to financial problems, the noble custodians were forced to sell their palace. At this time they gave the reliquary to Father Sebastian Martinelli, Prior General of the Augustinians, and later, Apostolic Delegate to the United States. Martinelli in turn contacted the Redemptorists in Rome, who arranged to have the relics sent to Holy Redeemer Church, New York.

Translation and Deposition of the 1870 Relics

Pomp and Procession: Mission Church - Boston

The relics of St. Nazarius arrived in Boston in the fall of 1873. The historic "deposition" was scheduled for December 28th and elaborate arrangements for the ceremony had been well publicized in advance.

Bishop Williams, of Boston, presided; the ceremony began at 9:30 am with a solemn procession around "old" mission church; scores of the clergy and religious were present and the faithful in attendance filled the church completely. During the procession, the Litany of Saints was chanted and the clergy attending were vested in red copes, chasubles and dalmatics. At the conclusion of the procession, the relics, embedded in  a wax effigy, were placed under the high altar. Solemn High Mass followed with Father Robert Fulton, SJ, the president of Boston College, as celebrant; and Father Joseph Wissel, CSSR, as preacher.

The Boston ceremonies closed with the chanting of the Te Deum. The "Boston Globe" devoted three columns to the account of the ceremony noting that the Mass was accompanied by a full choir and orchestra. Years later, an old parishioner remarked, "I was more impressed by the ceremonies attending the arrival of the relics of St. Nazarius than any other event in the history of the parish. We knew that the relics were coming and there was a great deal of excitement over the idea of having the remains of a saint in the church."

Toward the end of 1877, the "new" Mission Church was opened and the relics were removed from the "old" church (soon to be demolished) to the basement chapel of the "new" church. In 1878, when the Altar of St. Joseph was completed and dedicated in the upper church the reliquary was placed in a crystal case beneath the altar where it has remained over the decades- a place of prayer for the faithful and a source of wonderment to many a sleepy-eyed altar boy who served early morning Mass at the altar. 

The Patapsco Valley in February: House of Studies: Ilchester

On February 4th, 1874, the ceremonies for the reception of the relics of St. Sergius took place at the House of Studies in Ilchester.

After a procession through the corridors of the house, the relics were placed under the high altar in the old house chapel. Solemn High Mass was sung by the Provincial, and the sermon for the occasion was delivered by Father Tschenhens.

This chapel served as the principal oratory of the house from 1868 until 1882. It was located on the lower corridor, west end and was in the area now used for storage and showers. In 1882, the present chapel was completed and at that time the relics of St. Sergius were placed under the altar of St. Aloysius in the chapel transept.

From the Tiber to the Severn: Novitiate: Annapolis

A century ago-in the fall of 1874, the relics of St. Justin, Roman martyr, arrived in the capital of Maryland. The rector of the novitiate, Father Henry Dauenhauer invited the senior Redemptorist of the province, Father Tschenhens to preside at the ceremonies in the chapel. On January 15, 1875, a vigil was held before the relics in the old oratory of the Carroll House. The novices and community recited Matins and Lauds from the "Common of a Martyr". 

The next morning after a procession throughout the house, the reliquary was placed beneath the altar of the third floor oratory and the Solemn Mass was celebrated by Father Tschenhens who also was the orator for the occasion. Here the bones of Justin remained through the many changes in the Annapolis House - the transfer of the novitiate to Ilchester, the coming of the Second Novitiate, the increase of the parish. In November, 1967, during the "renovation" of this historic and quaint chapel, the altars were ripped out and the wax figure of St. Justin with the relics was unceremoniously removed to the house attic. Hopefully there they await a latter-day discovery.

Third Street's Shrine: St. Datian and the Altar of Relics

On August 12, 1892, the body of St. Datian was received at Most Holy Redeemer, Third Street, New York. It was decided to postpone the exposition of the relics until the time of the Golden Jubilee of the church in 1894. This would allow time for the construction of a suitable shrine-altar. The Holy Family Archconfraternity donated this shrine, the altar of which is dedicated to the Holy Family. Surrounding the mosaic of the altar's title are the reliquaries of saints that have been collected over the years. Under the marble altar, behind crystal, is the wax effigy of the saint and under this figure is the casket containing the bones of the martyr Datian. 

On January 31, 1894, this altar was blessed and the relics placed in position. In April, the Golden Jubilee of the Church was commemorated. The same year, the Congregation of Rites authorized the celebration of the Feast of St. Datian for Third Street and until the recent calendar reform, the following entry was found each year in the C.S.S.R. Ordo:

"30 October: New York (ad SS. Red.): Crae ex speciali indulto (d. 19 Ja. 1894) omnes Missae celebrari valent in honorem S. Datiani - Ms. Laetabitur, add. nomine S. Datiani in orationibus. (Col. rub.)

And so, a Roman martyr rests in New York's "East Village" - symbolic to the changing parish and neighborhood of the universality of the Church, and the message of the Gospel for all men, for all times, for all places.

St. John Neumann and the Holy Martyrs of Treves

St. Peter's - Philadelphia

The mortal remains of John Nepomucene Neumann have rested in the lower church of St. Peter's, Philadelphia since the day of his burial - January 9, 1860.

On April 22, 1902, the first canonical examination took place, in the presence of Auxiliary Bishop Prendergast of Philadelphia and the members of the apostolic process. At this time the body of the bishop was removed from the original coffin, identified, a canonical report made. It was then reinterred in a new coffin and replaced in the original vault below the sanctuary of the lower church. 

On November 8, 1962, in view of the forthcoming beatifications, the second canonical exhumation took place in St. Peter's. After the usual examination and report, the body was placed in the present shrine-altar(concealed, however, until the beatification that took place on October 13, 1963).

The latest exhumation occurred in March, 1968, when the body was reexamined in the presence of archdiocesan officials and others connected with the canonical cause.

In the lower church, to the right of the sanctuary is a side altar shrine containing the relics of the Holy Martyrs of Treves. Research in the archives gives no indication of the history of this shrine or the story behind the relics that are venerated there. The "innumerable martyrs of Treves" are mentioned in the Martyrology for October 6 and are described as "Christian citizens massacred for their Faith in 287". "Treves" is modern "Trier" in Germany. It is possible that this collection of relics was brought to this country in the 1800s by the German fathers displaced by Bismarck's "kulturkampf".