Heart Relic of St. Camillus de Lellis

For the second time, the incorrupt heart relic of St. Camillus De Lellis visited Cebu for veneration by the public, especially the sick. Placed in a glass case, the heart relic of St. Camillus was brought to the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral in downtown, Cebu City “The visit of St. Camillus is a perfect chance for us to give importance to the humanization of healthcare in the country, to place our sick brothers and sisters at the center of care and not leave them on the margins, and for healthcare providers and caretakers of the sick to review their dedication and commitment in loving and serving the sick,” he said in an interview. The heart relic arrived at the Mactan Cebu International Airport on Tuesday morning and was brought to the Daughters of St. Camillus Convent Chapel in Talamban, Cebu City. It was transported to the cathedral on Wednesday. Throughout the day, hundreds of people lined up to touch the glass case containing the saint’s heart which was removed an hour after his death on July 14, 1614.
Filipino Catholics and devotees will have another chance to honor and venerate the heart relic of St. Camillus de Lellis, patron saint of the sick, doctors, nurses and other health workers, as it will be in the country from February 2 to March 31, 2019. The heart relic of the Founder of the New School of Charity and the Ministers of the Infirm, also known as the Camillians, first visited the country in 2013 when it stayed for almost a month from February 18 to March 10. It will then journey across the country’s various parishes and several hospitals. St. Camillus himself in his lifetime had an experience being sick as he had a sore in his leg that would not heal, and spent a lot of time in hospitals where he also later on served as a caregiver. The experience made him realize that God called him to serve the sick.  It also led him to establish a religious congregation dedicated solely to care for the sick—the Ministers of the Sick, popularly known today as the Camillians.
St. Camillus’ heart was taken an hour after his death on July 14, 1614, and the relic is enshrined at the Church of St. Mary Magdalene in Rome, Italy, where he was buried. The relic of the heart of St. Camillus is contained in a crystal glass in the shape of a heart. The crystal glass measures 11 cm (height), 10 cm (width) and 7 cm (depth) (tridimensional view).
“St. Camillus’ heart relic really has such spiritual symbolism. The most common being that the heart is the universal symbol of love. And even his last breath, St. Camillus’ heart was in the service of the sick. For him, to serve the sick is to serve Christ Himself,” cited Fr. Dan.
The reliquary that holds the crystal glass evokes an old, classical style temple. Four Doric pillars are the base and support the dome on top of which stands the Cross, symbol of the Order of St. Camillus. In the inner part of the temple-like, two angels support the crystal glass with elegance and gentleness, leaning forward as if presenting the Relic to the faithful. 

Credits to Dreya Crystal Swarovski for the other photos.