The relics of Christian saints and blesseds deserve special care and their authenticity must be certified by the Church, the Congregation for the Causes of Saints has said.
“Relics in the Church have always received particular veneration and attention, because the bodies of saints and blesseds, destined for resurrection, were on earth the living temple of the Holy Spirit and the instruments of their sanctity, recognized by the apostolic see through beatification and canonization,” said the Dec. 16 instruction from the congregation.
The instruction was sent to Catholic bishops, eparchs, and those who take part in procedures related to relics of saints, blesseds and those declared venerable and servants of God, Vatican News reports.
It contains 38 separate items. Among its directives: relics of saints and blesseds that lack a certificate from church authority cannot be exposed for the veneration of the faithful.
Current canonical practice of verifying the authenticity of relics and mortal remains of saints and blesseds remains in place to guarantee that these relics and remains are preserved and venerated. Among other topics, the instruction outlines how to obtain the consent of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints for the canonical recognition of relics and the procedure to follow for relics that are taken on pilgrimage.
The new docuмent replaces the appendix to the 2007 instruction “Sanctorum Mater,” also issued by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints.


https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/treat-saints-relics-right-says-new-vatican-directive-27811

It contains 38 separate items. Among its directives: relics of saints and blesseds that lack a certificate from church authority cannot be exposed for the veneration of the faithful.
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Current canonical practice of verifying the authenticity of relics and mortal remains of saints and blesseds remains in place to guarantee that these relics and remains are preserved and venerated. Among other topics, the instruction outlines how to obtain the consent of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints for the canonical recognition of relics and the procedure to follow for relics that are taken on pilgrimage.
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This is a joke, right?
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In Los Angeles, the full body relics of St. Candidus (a Roman military officer who converted to Christianity and a whole division of his men followed him, so they were all killed) are still on display for all to see. But the docuмentation papers were imprudently kept in a waste paper basket in a storage room, consequently an "over-zealous custodian" emptied the basket one day, so bye-bye docuмentation.
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The relics of St. Vibiana (patroness of Los Angeles) were kept in a sepulcher in front of the main altar in the Cathedral named after her, but when Roger Cardinal Mahony moved to the new Mahony Square Garden down the street, he buried her relics in the crypt, in the spot that is physically the furthest distance away from the Presider's Chair and still be inside the building. I.e., out of sight, out of mind, or, in exile.
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So either the quote above is a joke or what Mahony perpetrated on Los Angeles is a joke, but it has to be one or the other.
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I am not talking about what any particular archdiocese does. I am talking about what the Vatican is telling us what should be done. 

So either the quote above is a joke or what Mahony perpetrated on Los Angeles is a joke, but it has to be one or the other.

They are all jokes, including Mahony.

What I see happening now is docuмentation will be conveniently 'lost' and relics will be frittered away no longer to be venerated. Another chapter of our traditions will be lost and discarded. Relics offend unbelievers, especially unbelieving Catholics. I pray that the true faithful take these relics and hide them for safe keeping before the nuns in polyester cart them off to goodwill.

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I have seen websites set up by collectors of relics, some of whom are not Catholic.
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They like to collect relics because they feel a sense of their power.
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In other words, these first class fragments of saints' bodies are being used as talismans, charms or fetishes by pagans.
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Since there is a demand for them, they can be obtained for a price, and some of them have rather high prices.
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Consequently, first class relics are being used for investment purposes, and thieves steal things they can sell for cash.
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The more experienced thieves, of course, know they have to steal the docuмentation as well as the relics.
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But once a relic is stolen, of what use to the victim is the docuмent when left behind? So he throws that away.
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If the relic can be recovered and identified then the docuмentation would be useful.

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Do you have any idea what the difficulties are of getting replacement docuмentation from Rome when it has been lost?
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