What started as a suspected drug bust at an Orthodox seminary in Yonkers turned out to be something far more divine.
Last week, staff at St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary stumbled upon what they believed to be illegal drugs. Concerned, they called local authorities, prompting drug-sniffing dogs to sweep the tranquil, wooded campus, according to WABC.
But the discovery was no narcotics haul — it was a sacred one. The “contraband” turned out to be first-class relics: actual remains — such as bone or flesh — of Saint Raphael of Brooklyn, a revered Syrian-American Orthodox saint.
“The people that found them didn’t know what they were,” said Father Michael Nasser of the seminary. “They weren’t in a typical container.”
The relics had apparently slipped out of a hole in a plastic bag while being moved to be photographed and catalogued, sparking the confusion. Miraculously, the remains were unharmed.
A seminarian who found the mysterious items quickly flagged down a police officer working nearby on a construction detail. “He thought they had recovered some type of illegal substances,” explained Detective Lt. Frank Didomizio of the Yonkers Police Department.
Saint Raphael, who died in 1915, was canonized by the Orthodox Church in America in 2000. A pioneering figure, he was the first Orthodox bishop consecrated on American soil and founded more than 30 churches across North America. Born in Beirut in 1860 to Syrian parents, he immigrated to the U.S. in 1895 and established the St. Nicholas Cathedral in Brooklyn.
“This is a spiritual connection for us,” said Father Nasser. “He lived in the 20th century, and these relics connect us to him in a very real way.”
Though the mix-up caused a momentary stir, it ended on a high note. The seminary held a special prayer and blessing for the visiting K-9 units, thanking them for their service to both the seminary and the wider community.
Saint Raphael’s feast day is observed on the first Saturday in November.