St. Anthony’s Chapel: A Sanctuary of Relics and Miracles
The Hidden Treasure Trove of Pittsburgh’s Troy Hill
Nestled on a quiet street in Pittsburgh’s Troy Hill neighborhood, St. Anthony’s Chapel is an unassuming church that houses an extraordinary treasure: the largest collection of relics outside the Vatican.
Father Mollinger’s Unwavering Devotion
The chapel’s remarkable collection is the result of the unwavering devotion of Father Suitbert Godfrey Mollinger, a priest known as the “priest-physician.” Born in Belgium in 1828, Mollinger inherited a vast fortune after the deaths of his parents. Driven by a desire to achieve something meaningful, he embarked on a mission to rescue relics from Europe, where they were being confiscated and destroyed.
Mollinger insisted on authenticity, requiring all relics to come with papers certified by a bishop and two witnesses. By 1880, the collection had grown so large that Mollinger funded the construction of a new chapel to house it.
The Materiality of Relics
In Catholic doctrine, relics are believed to contain some of the holiness of the saints they’re associated with. Notre Dame theology professor Robin M. Jensen explains that this belief reflects the materiality built into Catholic doctrine, which holds that created matter and natural things can mediate the presence of the holy.
The Symbolic Significance of Relics
For European immigrants who settled in Troy Hill, these relics held special meaning. Bringing these objects from their ancient past into their present reality was a way of bridging time and space, connecting them to their heritage in a new land.
Father Mollinger’s Healing Powers
Mollinger’s reputation as a healer grew alongside his collection of relics. He gave blessings and prescribed medications, blurring the lines between spiritual and physical healing. Some attributed his healing powers to a power above him, while others believed his medical knowledge played a role.
St. Anthony’s Miraculous Intervention
According to Father John Toohill Murphy, president of Pittsburgh Catholic College, St. Anthony, the chapel’s namesake, had the ability to “restore the spiritual life which had been lost, and give back the bodily health which had decayed.” Mollinger, he believed, performed his healing through St. Anthony’s “miraculous intervention.”
A Resurgence in Pilgrimages
After Mollinger’s death in 1892, the crowds stopped coming. But in recent years, there’s been a resurgence in pilgrimages among American Catholics. Today, St. Anthony’s Chapel attracts a small but steady stream of visitors who come to tour the chapel, pray privately, or recite the novena to St. Anthony on Tuesdays.
An Otherworldly Atmosphere
Some visitors come purely out of historical interest, viewing the relics as exhibits in a museum. Chapel chairperson Carole Brueckner notes that many people report feeling a presence when they’re there. “It’s quite gratifying, you know? There is a presence that reaches within to us.”
St. Anthony’s Chapel is a sanctuary of faith, mystery, and historical significance. Its collection of relics, the story of Father Mollinger, and the ongoing pilgrimage tradition make it a compelling destination for both the devout and the curious.