Thousands of the faithful made their way to Orange County to experience an opportunity of many lifetimes.
For the first, and likely only time in history, the relic of St. Jude was taken out of Rome and has been touring the United States since September.
Several thousand people are expected to venerate the relic where it is on display at the Christ Cathedral in Garden Grove.
This is the first time the relic of St. Jude has left Rome in 1,700 years according to the director of the Vatican Pilgrimage.
Antoinette Chirgwin waited three hours before the doors opened Tuesday afternoon and said the reason for her visit was her mother who is battling cancer.
“When else am I going to do that?” said Chirgwin. “St. Jude is the saint of the impossible. My mom is battling cancer.”
This is her mother’s fourth cancer diagnosis and for believers like Chirgwin, St. Jude represents hope.
“For the peace in the whole world, pray for the people who pass away,” wished Huntington Park resident, Mary Gray, who was visiting the Christ Cathedral.
The wooden carving that holds a bone fragment of St. Jude’s arm is displayed in a glass case in front of the Christ Cathedral. Each person in line is given ten seconds in front of the relic.
Those few moments are said to have brought miracles in the relic’s tour across the United States according to Carlos Martins, the director of Vatican Pilgrimage of the major relics of St. Jude.
“Her spine took a took a twist right in between her shoulder blades,” said Martins of a woman he met on the tour. “She came to the event and the next day she woke up and her brace wouldn’t fit her. Her spine is perfectly straight.”
Martins explained why many faithful hold such an infinity to St. Jude.
“He [St. Jude] being such a hero to people. It is very meaningful to people to encounter his relics. It facilitates an intimacy,” said Martins. “This arm, many times embraced the body of the world’s savior. This is how close we are to Jesus to this moment”
The relic of St. Jude will be at the Christ Cathedral in California until the end of May.
For a complete list of dates and locations click here.