A first-class relic of St. Jude will be available for veneration at three churches in Wichita next month. The relic, preserved in a reliquary shaped like a priest’s hand giving a blessing, contains a bone from the arm of St. Jude.

The relic will be at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church on Saturday, November 2; St. Jude Church on Sunday, November 3; and Church of the Magdalen on Monday, November 4.

According to Treasures of the Church, a Catholic evangelization ministry, the relic is intended to provide solace and spiritual connection during challenging times. Fr. Carlos Martins, director of Treasures of the Church, said that this visit offers individuals an opportunity to connect with "a deeply revered figure in Christian history." He added that "St. Jude, often considered the patron saint of lost causes and desperate situations, holds a special place in the hearts of many believers."

Fr. Martins noted that the presence of the relic allows devotees to experience intimacy with someone who resides in heaven and stands before God, enabling them to receive blessings and entrust their petitions.

St. Jude was one of Christ’s Twelve Apostles and is believed to have been martyred in Beirut several decades after Christ's death and resurrection. His body was later transferred to a tomb in St. Peter’s Basilica.

Treasures of the Church emphasized that venerating relics is not an act of worship but rather a way to honor saints and seek their intercession through prayers due to their proximity to God.

The U.S. tour began on September 9 and marks the first time this relic has left Italy.

Here is the schedule for Wichita:

- Saturday, Nov. 2: St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church

- Special Mass at noon

- Public veneration from noon until 9 p.m.

- Sunday, Nov. 3: St. Jude Catholic Church

- Special Mass at 2 p.m.

- Public veneration from immediately after Mass until 8 p.m.

- Monday, Nov. 4: Church of the Magdalen

- Public veneration begins at 2 p.m.

- Special Mass at 7 p.m.

- Public veneration ends at 10 p.m.