Greatly taken with the concept of religious relics particularly the more absurd ones like, for example the foot of the great mystic St. Theresa of Avila.
There’s a book called Rag and Bone: A Journey Among the World’s Holy Dead by Peter Manseau (talked about over on NPR). The author is, of course, quite serious about the gravitas of these holy objects but it occurred to me, being an irreverent comedic author, how much funny is inherent in such items.
Give what we learn about preternaturals in Book the Second (I know it’s a ways away from most of you but stay with me), there might be a very good reason for people in my alternative world to keep bits of “saints” around. And, an equally good reason for the Victorians to perfect their specimen preservation techniques.
You are hereby warned, Gentle Reader, holy relics make a sneak appearance in Blameless.
The question is, what’s the most ridiculous holy relic I can think up. Ah, the wheels are turning: St. Rufuspickle’s holy belly button lint, perhaps?
Book De Jour?
