A relic is a remnant of a saint, venerated by Catholics as a way to bring one closer to the saint. In most cases, these relics are a part of the saint's body; items belonging to saints and pieces of cloth pressed against a saint's bones are also considered relics. Relics are usually contained in cases called reliquaries; these cases can be quite ornate, or they can be small enough to slip into a pocket.

Relics are accompanied by authentication documents. These documents contain descriptions of the relic and the reliquary containing the relic, usually in Latin. The documents are signed and sealed by the priest or bishop who issued them, and a matching seal is placed on the inside-back of the reliquary. This collection contains reliquaries holding relics of a number of different saints, as well as the accompanying documentation for many.

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The relics of St. Lazarus of Bethany—the man raised from the dead by Jesus Christ—have a long, traveled history split between Cyprus, Constantinople, and Western Europe. [1]

History and Discovery of the Relics

First Tomb & Cyprus Ministry: After his resurrection, tradition holds that St. Lazarus fled to Cyprus, where he served for 30 years as the first Bishop of Kition (modern-day Larnaca). [1, 2]
Transfer to Constantinople: In 890 AD, his original tomb was discovered in Larnaca with an inscription reading "Lazarus, the Friend of Christ". Emperor Leo VI of Byzantium ordered the relics moved to Constantinople in 898 AD and built a church in his honor, though many were later dispersed or lost during the Fourth Crusade. [1, 2]
Rediscovery in Larnaca (1972): During restoration work following a fire at the Church of St. Lazarus in Larnaca, a marble sarcophagus containing human remains was rediscovered beneath the church's altar. [1, 2]

Where Relics of St. Lazarus Rest Today

Larnaca, Cyprus: The remaining portions of his bones are kept and venerated inside a marble tomb beneath the sanctuary of the historic Church of St. Lazarus. In June 2012, a portion of these relics was also gifted to the Russian Orthodox Church and placed in the Zachatievsky Monastery in Moscow. [1, 2]
Marseille, France: According to Western European tradition, Lazarus traveled to southern France and became the first bishop of Marseille. A skull relic attributed to St. Lazarus is housed in the Cathedral of Marseille (St. Mary Major Cathedral). [1, 2]

If you'd like, I can share more about the Feast Days associated with St. Lazarus or the history of the Church of St. Lazarus in Larnaca.

Official video of the tour of the relics of Saint Pio 1, 2