Thousands Line Up To See Arm Bone Of St. Jude At Union Co. Church

WESTFIELD, NJ — A Catholic church in Westfield was one of several North Jersey parishes to host a holy relic, containing an arm bone from Saint Jude, which has traveled outside of Italy for the first time. Thousands of worshippers arrived at each of the five churches last week to revere the sacred relic, according to the Archdiocese of Newark.

In the New Testament of the Bible, Jude is among the twelve apostles who traveled with Jesus Christ during his ministry. He is also the namesake of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. The saint is considered the patron of lost or hopeless causes, and many gathered around the area to pray for his assistance for themselves, family members, and loved ones.

St. Helen Church in Westfield hosted St. Jude's relic, which is encased in a wooden vessel carved in the shape of a hand, on Dec. 9. While they prayed, some Catholics pressed personal items to the glass surrounding the reliquary, such as rosary beads.

"This act transforms those objects into third-class relics that can be prayed with at home," the Archdiocese said.

A Michigan-based ministry called Treasures of the Church partnered with the Vatican to facilitate the bone's journey to the United States, so that more believers could see it.

The Archdiocese said Treasures of the Church also shared the relic with churches in Emerson, Oradell, Elmwood Park, and Kearny. Currently, churches in Central Jersey are hosting this relic, but there will be one more opportunity for people to see it in North Jersey.

The bone will make a stop at Our Lady of the Lake Church in Verona on Dec. 18 with a public veneration from 2 p.m. - 10 p.m., and a special Mass in St. Jude’s honor at 7 p.m.