TRUMBULL, Conn. — A piece of a 2,000-year-old Catholic saint was on display at a church in Trumbull, making its only holy stop in Connecticut.
“Going in, I felt the Holy Spirit feel my soul and I can feel immediately an atmosphere shift really,” said Alexander Delales.
Faith is the belief in being certain of what one does not see. But at St. Teresa’s Church in Trumbull, faith is on display as thousands prayed to one of the original 12 apostles of Jesus Christ, St. Jude.
The Catholic church said these are bone fragments of St. Jude’s hand.
According to the church, his hand was removed many centuries ago, and placed in a wood reliquary carved in the shape of a priestly arm, imparting a blessing.
“To have the opportunity to touch the physical remains of the New Testament saint makes the faith real. It connects people with the truth of the scriptures,” said Father Carlos Martins.
Wednesday’s stop in Trumbull is just one on a nationwide tour that runs through May. This is the first time the holy relic has left Italy.
“I felt like such a sense of peace and hope,” said Gina Sweet.
That’s the reason for this tour, said tour director, Father Carlos Martins.
“So, the Vatican released the relics of St. Jude to come here to America, this time because St. Jude is the patron Saint of hope and this is a time where people need hope,” said Father Brian Gannon.
In the Catholic faith, St. Jude is known as the “Apostle of the Impossible.”
“He’s somebody that people go to when they feel really really desperate and he has many many miracles attributed to him throughout the centuries,” said Father Gannon.
As thousands prayed for miracles, some said their sense of hope had been restored too.
“To even imagine that arm from so many thousands of years ago, it’s sitting here in Trumbull in our church, I just felt that God’s word is still loud, it’s still clear, and we still need him,” said Tina Colaco.
For more information on this tour, click here.
DeAndria Turner is a multi-media journalist at FOX61 News. She can be reached at dturner@fox61.com.
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