How did St Luke end up in Padua?

Santa Giustana, Padua

I was in Padua earlier this year as part of an unforgettable pilgrimage (Milan, Mesero, Pavia, Padua, Turin,) with The Fraternity of St Genesius. We were going to the Shrine of St Anthony, but Santa Giustina, and the tomb of St Luke had to get a visit as well. The Basilica of Santa Giustina, in Padua has the tombs of several saints including St. Justina, St. Prosdocimus, St. Maximus, St. Urius, St. Felicitas, St. Julian, as well as relics of the Apostle St. Matthias and the Evangelist St. Luke. I can only remember clearly the shrines to St Matthias and St Luke.

Below is a photo of a huge shrine of St Luke. I wondered at the time, how on earth did Saint Luke end up in Padua? And today, months later, thanks to "Google", I have some answers.

Tomb of St Luke, the Evangelist, Padua

Saint Luke, is  the man whom Paul of Tarsus called “the beloved physician,” he is the author of the third Gospel, the Acts of the Apostles, and the founder of iconography. A tradition, confirmed by the testimony of St. Jerome, says that the casket with the bones of St Luke was taken to Constantinople during the time of Emperor Constans (fourth century) and placed in the Basilica of the Holy Apostles. Tradition claims, that a priest named Urius, custodian of the Basilica of the Holy Apostles in Constantinople, took with him to Padua the remains of St. Luke, St. Matthias, and an icon of the Virgin, which are still present in Santa Giustina.

In 1998 experts of the diocese and the friars of Santa Giustina removed the 400-year-old seals from the large lead casket. The large size of the lead casket makes it clear that this was not made to hold the Evangelist’s relics, but his body. Inside the casket they found the bones of a complete skeleton (with the exception of the skull). Scientific tests on a body in Padua have shown that it could be that of St Luke. Research indicates that the bones belonged to a Syrian, who died in old age, between 70 and 85 A.D. The bones in Padua, are missing the head. This “lack” gave further confirmation of the authenticity of the relics. Historical documents show that in 1354, Emperor Charles IV took the skull from the skeleton in Padua to Prague with him. The skull of St Luke is to this day in the Cathedral of St. Vitus, Prague and where it continues to be venerated. Studies have shown that the skull in Prague more than likely belongs to the body in Padua. 

In October 1992, the Bishop of Padua, Antonio Mattiazzo, was handed a letter in Greek, written by the Orthodox Metropolitan of Thebes, Hyeronimus, asking him for “a significant fragment of the relics of St. Luke" to be placed in the origional tomb of St Luke Evangelist, in the Orthodox Cathedral in Thebes. In October 2000 Bishop Mattiazzo took a rib from St. Luke’s skeleton, the one closest to the heart, and flew to Thebes, to satisfy Metropolitan Hyeronimus’s moving request to have a significant relic to venerate in the empty tomb.

Source of Information.

Prayer to Saint Luke

Most charming and saintly Physician, you were animated by the heavenly Spirit of love. In faithfully detailing the humanity of Jesus, you also showed his divinity and his genuine compassion for all human beings. Inspire our physicians with your professionalism and with the divine compassion for their patients. Enable them to cure the ills of both body and spirit that afflict so many in our day. Amen.