Why Did Christians Kiss Relics?

In this episode of FACTS, Stephen Boyce and Pat May explore the biblical and historical roots of relic veneration in Christianity. Did Christians borrow the practice from paganism, or does the idea already exist within the biblical world? We look at Joseph’s bones, Elisha’s relics, Peter’s shadow, Paul’s handkerchiefs, and the early Christian treatment of the martyrs. We also examine some of the earliest Christian evidence, including the Martyrdom of Polycarp, Gregory of Nyssa, Ambrose, Jerome, and Augustine, alongside pagan critics like Julian the Apostate and Eunapius, who openly mocked Christians for honoring the bones and tombs of the martyrs. The episode asks a simple question: if relic veneration was merely a pagan corruption of Christianity, why were pagans themselves attacking Christians for doing it?