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Relics
The bodily remains of saints — venerated as vessels of divine grace; every altar contains a relic sewn into the antimension.
The veneration of relics (leipsana) is one of the oldest Christian practices. The martyrs' relics were venerated from the 2nd century: the body that suffered for Christ participates in his Resurrection and remains a locus of divine grace even in death. Every altar in the Orthodox Church contains a relic sewn into the antimension. Miracles associated with the relics of saints are understood as demonstrations that the body of the saint participates in the eschatological life.