Did you know every Catholic altar contains a relic of a saint? This is a very ancient tradition with roots in the early Church. They celebrated the liturgy on or near the tombs of martyrs in Roman catacombs. The practice also has Biblical roots in Revelation 6:9 when John sees “under the altar the souls who had been slaughtered for the word of God and for the testimony they had given . . .” So, when the altars of Catholic Churches are dedicated they also include within them a relic of a saint. T