After a bit of rather boring exploration of the Basilic of Saint Anthony of Padua, I was suddenly thrust into what is one of the most important places in the basilica. The Chapel of Relics is what it is named for. This is where most of the relics of the basilica are kept and put on display for the public. It used to be that the church was very big on relics such as these. This is meant as instruments of the faith and it seems that the Chapel of Relics has quite a few of these. Naturally, a lot of the relics relate to Saint Anthony of Padua since the entire basilica was dedicated to him but there were also other relics related to other religious figures, including ones from Saint Pope John Paul II.

The chapel itself is very much worth visiting since it is one of the most beautiful parts of the church. The chapel is decorated in rich baroque design that easily caught my eye. Additionally, the chapel itself has its own dome. The basilica actually has several domes which lend it the appearance of a Byzantine era church adding yet another architectural style to this basilica. The inside of the dome of the Chapel of Relics is likewise richly decorated as if to highlight the importance of the chapel. I can’t say I blame them, the relics here are also what pilgrims come here for.

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