How the skull of St. Rose of Lima is preserved
St. Rose of Lima’s skull, housed in a reliquary with a silver crown, is preserved in the Basilica of the Most Holy Rosary in Lima’s historic center. Dominican Friar Luis Enrique Ramírez explains that the skull has been there since the late 1800s and that her bones are fragmented and spread across many churches worldwide. Other relics in the basilica include her embroidered tablecloth, betrothal ring, soil from her grave, and a handwritten letter, and a plaque marks the spot of her mystical betrothal to the Infant Jesus. Ramírez notes that the Holy See now requires strict authentication and bishop authorization for relic requests to combat counterfeits. Visitors can also see a recently built chapel in the St. Dominic Convent museum that commemorates St. Rose’s decision to join the Dominican Third Order as a laywoman.
about 1 month ago
The skull of St. Rose of Lima, the first canonized saint from the Americas, is kept as a first‑class relic in a specially designed reliquary at the Basilica of the Most Holy Rosary within the historic St. Dominic Convent in Lima, Peru. 1
The reliquary, installed in the late 1800s, consists of two compartments. One holds the skull, which is crowned with a silver wreath of roses that replaced an original gold crown taken in a theft. The second compartment contains a small box with fragments of her other bones. 1
The skull is displayed behind glass within the reliquary, protecting it from direct contact and environmental damage while allowing pilgrims to view it. The silver rose crown and the sealed compartments help maintain a stable micro‑environment, reducing exposure to humidity and temperature fluctuations. 1
St. Rose’s skull has resided in the basilica since the late nineteenth century, coinciding with the creation of the neoclassical altarpiece that frames the relic. Over time, many of her bones have been divided into tiny fragments, which are now venerated in numerous churches worldwide. 1
According to Dominican friar Luis Enrique Ramírez, relics enable the faithful to “share in the holiness” of the saint, offering spiritual encouragement and a tangible connection to the divine. The Holy See now requires episcopal authorization and Dominican oversight for any distribution of St. Rose’s relics to guard against counterfeits. 1
A newer chapel, opened about a decade ago within the convent, houses an image of St. Rose that is carried in August processions, and beneath it lies her shoulder blade, another first‑class relic. The museum also exhibits personal items such as her embroidered tablecloth, betrothal ring, soil from her grave, and a handwritten letter, highlighting her life as a laywoman devoted to prayer and service. 1
Investigate ecclesiastical protocols governing relic authentication and preservation
Ecclesiastical protocols for relics are principally governed by the 2017 Instruction Relics in the Church: Authenticity and Preservation, issued by the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints. Its central concern is twofold: to establish credible authenticity and to ensure dignified, secure, and non-commercial preservation.
The Church’s veneration of relics is grounded in the Christian understanding of the body. The bodies of the saints and blesseds were temples of the Holy Spirit and instruments of holiness, and they are destined for resurrection. Relics are therefore honored because of their relationship to the person who lived in union with God, not as magical objects.
The Instruction distinguishes:
This distinction has practical consequences. Significant relics require heightened ecclesiastical vigilance, while smaller relics and contact relics must still be treated religiously, without superstition or illicit trade.
The competent authority is ordinarily the diocesan Bishop or Eparch of the place where the relics or mortal remains are preserved. However, the Bishop cannot simply undertake major procedures independently: he must first obtain the consent of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints.
The Bishop must submit a written request specifying:
For a transfer to another diocese, the receiving Bishop’s written consent is required. For a temporary pilgrimage, the consent of every Bishop receiving the relics must be obtained and communicated to the Dicastery.
In the case of significant relics, icons, or precious images belonging to the Eastern Churches, competence is shared between the Dicastery and the relevant Patriarch, with the consent of the permanent Synod.
A relic of a blessed or saint may not be exposed for the veneration of the faithful without an ecclesiastical certificate guaranteeing its authenticity. This certificate is therefore not merely an administrative accessory; it is the Church’s formal assurance that the relic has undergone an appropriate chain of verification.
The right to prepare and sign the certificate belongs ordinarily to:
Authentication should be understood as a juridical and historical process, not simply as a scientific test. The procedure examines documentary continuity, the condition of the container and seals, the physical remains, and the official acts recording what has been done.
A formal canonical recognition is the controlled examination of relics or mortal remains. The Bishop may act personally or through a priest-delegate. He must establish a tribunal by decree, appointing:
The Bishop or delegate must also appoint:
The Postulator or Vice Postulator may be present. Everyone involved must first swear or promise to perform the task faithfully and to observe official secrecy.
The event is to take place at a specifically designated time and location. Publicity should be avoided, which protects the dignity of the remains and reduces the danger of sensationalism, interference, or unauthorized appropriation.
Before removing the relics or remains, the Notary reads aloud any authentic document recording the last burial, prior recognition, or previous translation. The purpose is to compare the documentary record with the actual condition of the relics.
If no authentic document exists, or if the urn or its seals are broken, the officials must take every reasonable measure to establish that the remains are genuinely those of the person identified. This provision recognizes that the evidentiary situation may vary: a documented and sealed relic has a stronger chain of custody than one with a broken or uncertain history.
The protocol therefore treats seals and documents as important safeguards, but not as substitutes for investigation. Broken seals do not automatically prove falsity; they trigger a more careful authentication process.
The remains are placed on a table covered with a dignified cloth. Anatomical experts may clean them of dust and impurities and must then inspect them carefully. They are required to identify analytically the parts of the body, describe their condition in detail, and record their findings in a signed report attached to the official acts.
This medical examination serves several purposes:
The Instruction does not reduce authenticity to laboratory analysis. Scientific examination is one component of a broader canonical inquiry that also includes documents, seals, witnesses, official custody, and procedural records.
If the examination shows that treatment is necessary or appropriate, preservation may be undertaken with the Bishop’s consent. The treatments should use the most accredited techniques available locally and should follow the recommendations of the anatomical or other qualified experts.
The protocol is deliberately protective:
After treatment, the remains are recomposed and may be placed in a new urn. If new clothing is required, it should, as far as possible, follow the style of the previous clothing. The old urn and its contents should be reverently preserved when possible; otherwise, they may be destroyed.
A container holding the minutes of the procedure, secured with the Bishop’s seal, is placed inside the urn. This creates an internal documentary record connecting the relics with the canonical act of recognition.
Small fragments may be extracted during a legitimate canonical recognition when there is a justified reason, such as an imminent beatification or canonization. The fragments must already be detached from the body, and the procedure must follow the anatomical expert’s indications.
Those fragments are given by the Bishop or delegate to the Postulator or Vice Postulator for the creation of relics. The Bishop decides where the fragments are to be kept after consulting the Postulator.
The dismemberment of the body is not permitted unless the Bishop has obtained the Dicastery’s consent for the creation of significant relics. This is one of the clearest limits in the Instruction: the desire to distribute relics cannot justify invasive or uncontrolled division of a body.
The Instruction distinguishes between:
For permanent transfer to another diocese, the receiving Bishop must consent in writing. For alienation, the required consents include those of the transferring party and the future owner, together with the receiving Bishop when another diocese is involved.
When relics or remains are definitively transferred, a Guardian-Porter must be appointed to accompany them safely to their destination.
Relics of blesseds and saints may be taken on pilgrimage within a diocese, but the competent Bishop must appoint a Guardian-Porter to accompany them. Public cult is permitted for blesseds and saints according to the liturgical norms in force. By contrast, the mortal remains of Servants of God and Venerables must not be treated as objects of public cult before beatification or canonization.
The commerce and sale of relics are absolutely prohibited. Commerce includes exchanging a relic for money or another object; sale involves transferring ownership for a corresponding price. Relics may also not be displayed in profane or unauthorized places.
This prohibition protects both the sacred dignity of relics and the faithful from exploitation. It also excludes a market-based model of “ownership” in which rarity, celebrity, or alleged miraculous power determines value.
A lawful transfer must therefore be ecclesiastically authorized and properly documented; it cannot be conducted as a private commercial transaction.
The Notary must record all procedures in formal minutes. These are signed by the Bishop or delegate, Promoter of Justice, anatomical experts, witnesses, and Notary, whose signature and seal authenticate the acts. The Dicastery’s written consent must be attached.
The completed acts are preserved in the diocesan or eparchial chancery, and a copy is sent to the Dicastery. Authorized photographs or recordings are attached to the acts and preserved with them.
At the same time, the Instruction imposes strict limits on disclosure. Images and information arising from anatomical treatment or the procedures may not be made public without the written authorization of the competent Bishop and, where applicable, the heir.
Thus, the protocol combines institutional accountability with confidentiality. The process must be sufficiently documented for ecclesiastical oversight but not publicized in a manner that compromises dignity, privacy, or the integrity of the investigation.
For a diocese such as the Archdiocese of Benin City, a prudent operational procedure would be:
The Church’s protocol is not merely a test of whether an object is old or physically resembles a saint’s remains. Authenticity is established through a coordinated canonical process involving competent episcopal authority, prior authorization, documentary continuity, sealed custody, scientific examination, witnesses, sworn officials, formal minutes, and an ecclesiastical certificate. Preservation must protect both the physical integrity of the relic and its sacred character. Above all, relics are to foster Christian veneration of the saints, never superstition, sensationalism, private profit, or unauthorized cult.