Fragments of Cave of Nativity donated to Shrine of All Saints

Fragments of stone from the Cave of the Nativity in Bethlehem seen on display Jan. 2, 2021, at the Shrine of All Saints at St. Martha of Bethany Church in Morton Grove. The fragments, which are from the cave believed to be the site of Jesus' birth, were the most prized item from the stone collection of late Chicago Tribune publisher Col. Robert R. McCormick and were formerly on display in the lobby of Tribune Tower in downtown Chicago. Developers turning the historic into luxury condos donated the fragments to the shrine at Christmas. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)

Fragments of stone from the Cave of the Nativity in Bethlehem seen on display Jan. 2, 2021. The fragments were formally on display in Tribune Tower in downtown Chicago. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)

A bone from St. Nicholas of Myra, whose life the legend of Santa Claus is based upon. Recently, two researches from Oxford University in England took samples of the bone fragments and verified that it is a bone of a man who lived during St. Nicholas’ time. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)

An ornate reliquary holds hair from the Blessed Virgin Mary. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)

Father Dennis O'Neill, senior pastor at St. Martha of Bethany Parish in Morton Grove, touches the base of a case containing a lock of St. Therese of Lisieux’s hair that was cut when she entered the Carmelite community. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)

Cardinal Cupich celebrated Mass at St. Martha Parish in Morton Grove, on Nov. 1, 2015. Following this Mass, he declared the Shrine of All Saints an official archdiocesan shrine. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)

Cardinal Cupich holds up a relic of his namesake Blase at the end of Mass. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)

Elisa Jang, a parishioner at St. Martha, takes a picture of some of the relics after Mass. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)

Parishioners view some of the relics following Mass on Nov. 1, 2015 with Cardinal Cupich. Following this Mass, the cardinal declared the Shrine of All Saints an official archdiocesan shrine. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)

A souvenir from Mother Frances Cabrini’s canonization in 1946. She is the first American citizen canonized a saint. She ministered and died in Chicago. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)

Relics of the Twelve Apostles and St. Paul. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)

A piece of the jaw and two teeth of Roch (Rocco) of Montpellier, protector from plague and Christina, virgin and martyr. Her skull is in the Cathedral in Milan. She is the patroness of Venice, millers, archers and mariners. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)

A relic of Blessed Jerzy Popieluszko, a Polish priest who served the Solidarity movement in Poland and was murdered because of it. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)

The skull and fibula of Remacle (Remaclus) from 602-670. He was founding abbot of Stavelot-Malmedy and bishop of Maastricht-Tongern. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)

Father O’Neill holds the cover of a breviary that belonged to St. John Vianney. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)

Father Dennis O'Neill looks over old documents and letters in the parish in rectory. Many are centuries old. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)

Father O'Neill holds up a letter was written by Abbess Humberte Francoise Dunod of the Poor Clare Convent in Poligny, France and is dated May 1673. It concerns the sanctity of Sister Anathoile Francoise Thoulier, a nun from her convent who had recently died and had hadapparitions of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.(Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)

A relic of St. Agnes of Bohemia, also known as Agnes of Prague. She was a princess and abbess of the Poor Clares. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)

A relic of Blessed Michael J. McGivney, founder of the Knights of Columbus. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)

A relic and statue of St. Fiacre, Irish abbot, missionary of France and patron of gardeners and cabdrivers. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)

A relic of St. Thomas the Apostle. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)

A relic of St. Mary Magdalene, sealed by Cardinal Pierre Guerin de Tencin, archbishop of Lyon and primate of France from 1740-1758 in a gilt brass and carved reliquary. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)

Relics of the Armenian Martyrs. On Aug. 10, 2016, after a brief liturgy at the Shrine of All Saints at St. Martha of Bethany Parish with parishioners from St. James Armenian Apostolic Church in Evanston, the relics were enshrined at the shrine. St. James donated relics of martyrs from the Armenian genocide to the Shrine of All Saints. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)

Deacon Thomas Ohanian, Rev. Fr. Hovhan Khoja-Eynatyan and Deacon Larry Farsakian lead a brief liturgy on Aug. 10, 2016. Parishioners from St. James Armenian Apostolic Church in Evanston donated relics of martyrs from the Armenian genocide to the Shrine of All Saints at St. Martha Parish in Morton Grove. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)

Relics of the Armenian Martyrs. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)

Father Dennis O'Neill, pastor at St. Martha’s, incenses the relics of the Armenian Martyrs. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)

Barbara and Stefan Steyer and Carol Anzelone, parishioners at St. Martha’s, view the relics of the Armenian Martyrs on Aug. 10, 2016, following a brief liturgy with parishioners from St. James Armenian Apostolic Church in Evanston who donated relics of martyrs from the Armenian genocide to the Shrine of All Saints. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)

Deacon Thomas Ohanian venerates the relics of the Armenian Martyrs on Aug. 10, 2016, following a brief liturgy with parishioners from St. James Armenian Apostolic Church in Evanston who donated relics of martyrs from the Armenian genocide to the Shrine of All Saints. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)