A remnant of the body of a saint or a (part of) an object that has been in contact with a saintThis is a title that the Church bestows on a deceased person who has lived a particularly righteous and faithful life. In the Roman Catholic and Orthodox Church, saints may be venerated (not worshipped). Several saints are also martyrs., Jesus, or Mary. The very first sanctuaries were built on graves of saints. Remnants of these saints were distributed to other churches and chapels. The first altars were usually the sarcophagi of the saints. Hence the custom of placing relics under the altar stoneA tile in the top of an altar, under which there are relics. An altar stone shows five [usually Greek] crosses, which refer to the five wounds of Jesus.. Relics are also kept in shrines, and sometimes displayed in reliquaries.