We all have seen Catholics giving what looks like worship to relics. What's with all the bones, severed heads, bodies and golden artifacts that the church venerates? What does the Catholic Church teach about relics? What does the Bible say about kneeling before or venerating relics?
The Catechism of the Catholic Church says in paragraph 1674: Besides sacramental liturgy and sacramentals, catechesis must take into account the forms of piety and popular devotions among the faithful. The religious sense of the Christian people has always found expression in various forms of piety surrounding the Church's sacramental life, such as the veneration of relics, visits to sanctuaries, pilgrimages, processions, the stations of the cross, religious dances, the rosary, medals, etc. From this paragraph we see that it is official doctrine of the Catholic Church to venerate relics.
What does the Bible say about bowing down to relics?
Exodus 20:4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
Lev 26:1 Ye shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall ye set up any image of stone in your land, to bow down unto it: for I am the LORD your God.
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