Vatican City, Feb 12, 2008 / 13:08 pm
The prefect for the Congregation for the Causes of the Saints, Cardinal Jose Saraiva Martins, said this week the sale of relics of the saints on eBay is “totally unacceptable business.”
In an interview with the Italian daily La Stampa, the cardinal explained that canon law prohibits the sale of relics.
He said the online auctioning of pieces of bones and clothing are for the most part of doubtful origin and maybe even were stolen, adding that only the objects of devotion of saints and blesseds that have Church approval could be considered authentic.
Cardinal Saraiva also warned that the relics offered on the site could end up being used for satanic purposes.