Holy Belongings Understanding in Christianity and in the Societies before Islam

Almost all members of all religious, from those accepted as a primitive to those based on divine inspirations, give importance to the remembrance belongings concerning to past. Members of some religious have great respect that closes to adoration degree, to these belongings. On the other hand, some members of other religious believe in their metaphysical power, although some members of another religious protect these belongings as an expression of love and respect to owner of those belongings. These kinds of remembrances were defined as “athar” in the Arabic Language and as “relic, religue” in the West languages. Relic means holy remembrance belongings.

In the Politeist Greek, it was believed that owning a remembrance belonging from legendary or hero was accepted highly important especially for protecting a city. Moreover, belongings from hero, ancestor or saint had great religious importance in the Egypt, Celt, China and Indian societies. In the Buddhist societies, remembrances remaining from Kâsyapa, who was a predecessor of Buddha, were protected in the stupas, and they were highly respected. Buddhists believe that Buddha ordered to show respect to his personal belongings as a religious duty. Four teeth, two collarbones and a front bone were considered as “seven big trusts” in Buddhists societies.

In the Christianity, relics are seen more important compared to all other religious. In the first period of Christianity, it was believed that the soul of saint lives near to his tomb and all of saint’s remaining were protected in his tomb. Some parts of crucifix, on which Jesus was dead and which was found in the Jerusalem in the fourth century, took place in the churches as a holy trust. For the memory of this event, a religious festival was started.

These kinds of remembrance belongings were highly appreciated in order to take attention and to increase the importance of the new built churches in the eyes of the Christian society. Because of this reason, there was nearly no churches, where any holy trust was protected and exhibited. A piece of clothes, a handkerchief or a piece of land from tomb of saint increased the magnitude of the churches in the eyes of local public. Scepter (attributed to MOSES), hair (attributed to NOAH), a piece of wood (accepted the part of NOAH’s ship) and other goods, accepted as holy, took places in the Christian temples.  The blessing of churches with belongings, accepted as holy, was obligated by second İznik Consul. In some churches, these kinds of belonging were put near to door or in a specific place and it was seen that some people kissed the.