@edutainmentnow: On August 17, 2026, the skull relic of Saint Agatha was solemnly placed inside its 14th-century gold reliquary bust (the Busto Reliquiario) by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican Secretary of State and papal legate sent by Pope Leo XIV. This ceremony marked the 900th anniversary of the translation of Saint Agatha’s relics from Constantinople to Catania, Sicily, an event that originally occurred on August 17, 1126. Following the placement of the skull, Cardinal Parolin solemnly crowned the reliquary bust, a liturgical peak in the celebrations known as the Agatino Year. The relic had been temporarily removed for public veneration during the restoration of the bust and veil by the Vatican Museums, which revealed the bust's original polychromy and gold splendor. The event was accompanied by controversy after Catania Mayor Enrico Trantino kissed the skull relic, a gesture he defended as an act of devotion.

WhoIsLooch

Open In TikTok:

Region: GB

Friday 21 August 2026 05:45:47 GMT