Saints' Relics in St. Martin of Tours Church in Louisville, Kentucky

St. Martin of Tours Church (website) in Louisville, Kentucky is home to skeletal remains of Saints Magnus & Bonosa who were martyred in 3rd or 4th century, & had been kept in glass sarcophagi in church’s 2 wooden side altars since 1902.

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Fr. Paul Beach, St. Martin’s pastor, said, “A child wants to touch something so he can better understand what it is. It is part of our human nature; we don’t lose this desire when we grow up. Relics are important because they give us a tangible connection to real human beings who've given witness to our Faith.”

These 2 Roman martyrs were killed when Christianity was illegal in Roman Empire.

 

Magnus was a Roman centurion. Apparently, Magnus was so moved by Bonosa’s faith that he converted to Christianity, leading him to his own death. In another rendition of story, Magnus jumped into ring to save Bonosa & was killed on spot. Even Catholic Church struggles to identify Bonosa & Magnus, & different stories do not help the matter.

These two Roman martyrs were killed when Christianity was illegal in the Roman Empire.. Read more at: https://www.newsgram.com/after-1800-years-two-christian-martyrs-remains-from-ancient-rome-come-to-louisville

These two Roman martyrs were killed when Christianity was illegal in the Roman Empire.. Read more at: https://www.newsgram.com/after-1800-years-two-christian-martyrs-remains-from-ancient-rome-come-to-louisville

These two Roman martyrs were killed when Christianity was illegal in the Roman Empire.. Read more at: https://www.newsgram.com/after-1800-years-two-christian-martyrs-remains-from-ancient-rome-come-to-louisville

These two Roman martyrs were killed when Christianity was illegal in the Roman Empire.. Read more at: https://www.newsgram.com/after-1800-years-two-christian-martyrs-remains-from-ancient-rome-come-to-louisville

St. Magnus was a centurion & St. Bonosa a virgin who were martyred in Coliseum (one account has Magnus fighting to save Bonosa’s life) & buried in catacombs. 

Magnus, on the other hand, was a Roman centurion. Apparently, Magnus was so moved by Bonosa’s faith that he converted to Christianity, leading him to his own death. In another rendition of the story, Magnus jumped into the ring to save Bonosa and was killed on the spot. Even the Catholic Church struggles to identify Bonosa and Magnus, and the different stories do not help the matter. Read more at: https://www.newsgram.com/after-1800-years-two-christian-martyrs-remains-from-ancient-rome-come-to-louisville

Bonosa was a Roman virgin who was executed for her Catholic beliefs. It is uncertain whether she was executed during 3rd century C.E. under Septimius Severus, or in 4th century under Diocletian.

 



Remains of Saint Bonosa

Saint Bonosa was a child martyr of 3rd century, whose relics were found in catacombs of Saint Praetextatus, in Rome, on March 27, 1848. It is calculated that she was 4 years of age when she died for her Faith. Her holy relics were sent to France by Pope Pius IX in 1850, & entrusted to Trappist monks of ancient abbey of Fontgombault.

In 1904, when French government had again unleashed its persecution of Catholic Church & in particular of contemplative religious communities, monks of Fontgombault exiled themselves to United States, bringing relics of virgin martyr with them. (Fontbomgault would be re-established in 1948 as a Benedictine monastery of Congregation of Solesmes.)

In United States, trace of relics of St. Bonosa was lost until, at inquiry of Benedictine monks of Fontgombault, they were rediscovered in 2005 among reliquaries of a monastery in Cottonwood, Idaho. The relics were then returned to monks of Fontgombault. However, only part of these very ancient bones were sent back to France because of their fragility & fact that such a large reliquary with human remains wouldn't pass through modern security.

In 1999, Fontgombault had made a foundation in Oklahoma, & it was to this monastery in United States, Our Lady of Clear Creek, that greater part of relics of Roman child martyr were solemnly translated on Aug 31, 2006.

On that same day, as St. Bonosa’s reliquary was being carried in procession, a death-row inmate, miles away, made his profession of Catholic faith & received sacrament of confession only hours before his execution. These weren't unrelated events. The monks had long been praying for him, asking for intercession of St. Bonosa.

A Child Martyr
 
One may wonder how a child of four, St. Bonosa, could possibly have been a martyr, that is, could possibly have made conscious decision to prefer fidelity to God over her own existence on earth. The particulars would be impossible to ascertain, but we can be sure that at most basic level it was through a great love of God that simply wouldn't allow her to do anything that she deemed would displease or betray Him in any way.

We shouldn't be surprised at a child martyr when it was children who, at dawn of Christianity, were very first to shed their blood for their Lord: the little Holy Innocents, that is, male babies & toddlers of Bethlehem.

Throughout history of Christianity there have been children who reached heights of sanctity through their love of God, imbued with a clear understanding—whether consciously educated or by intuitive conviction—of basic tenets of Catholic Faith: St. Tarcisius (3^rd century), 12-year old acolyte who was killed defending Holy Eucharist from Roman soldiers; St. Imelda (1322-1333) who died enraptured in love of God upon her first, & what became her last, Holy Communion; St. Philomena (martyred at age 13), St. Dominic Savio (1842–1857), St. Maria Goretti (1890–1902) . . . list is very, very long.

The children of Fatima, Lúcia (1907–2005), Francisco (1908–1919) & Jacinta (1910–1920), are astounding examples, in very young children, of clear comprehension of fundamentals of Catholic Faith & total abandonment to God’s will out of love for Jesus Christ Our Lord, for Blessed Virgin Mary, our heavenly Queen & Mother, & out of compassion for poor sinners & those who have no Faith. Even in their lifetime they were powerful intercessors before God.

So may the little children pray, & may they not be deterred from their road to sanctity. 

“Let the little children come to me,” says the Lord. [Mt. 19:14]

St. Bonosa, pray for us

May blessed Bonosa, Thy virgin and martyr, we beseech Thee, O Lord, implore for
us Thy forgiveness; for she was ever pleasing unto Thee, both by the merits of her chastity
and by her confession of Thy power. Through Our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son,
Who lives and reigns with Thee in the unity of the Holy Spirit, world without end. Amen.

Their remains were later removed & kept in a convent in Agnani, an ancient town near Rome, but returned to Rome when government forced convent to close in 19^th century. Pope Leo XIII gave relics over to care of St. Martin’s 110 years ago, at request of its pastor at time, Msgr. Francis Zabler.

St. Martin of Tours is one of country’s most beautiful historic, traditional churches. It was founded in downtown Louisville in 1853, &served a German immigrant community. For nearly a century, homilies were preached in German, confessions were heard in German & many of its memorials in its stained-glass windows are in German. It was staffed for much of this time by Franciscan priests.

Interior features include a magnificent marble center altar, colorful stained-glass windows & traditional, representational statues. But  feature everyone goes away talking about, said Fr. Beach, is its relics of St. Magnus & St. Bonosa.

Rather than being a few bone fragments, they're significant skeletal remains. The bones are wrapped in cotton, formed in shape of a human figure with their skulls exposed & rest covered with robes & palm fronds (to indicate that they’re martyrs).

For more than a century visitors to St. Martin’s have been inspired by their story & knelt before them to pray. 

Magnus’ skeleton is about 45% complete; skull is missing its mandible (jawbone). He was a male, age 45-50. His ethnicity was Caucasian, with perhaps some Mediterranean/African ancestry.


Remains of Saint Magnus

Bonosa’s skeleton is 95% complete, only missing a few fingers & toes. She was 100% Caucasian, female, right-handed & 24 years of age. Additionally, Bonosa has stress features on her knees, indicating that she spent much time squatting. It could be because of work, such as doing laundry, or because she spent much time on her knees praying.

As funds are raised, Fr. Beach & parish hope to do a facial reconstruction of Magnus & Bonosa. He believes pair are a helpful tool in reinvigorating faith of visitors. He said, “We can talk about martyrs of Coliseum, but relics of St. Magnus & St. Bonosa put you literally face-to-face with Catholics who were there & paid ultimate price for their Faith. It’s very powerful.”