Religion: St. Vincent’s Finger

To Manhattan’s handsome Church of St. Vincent Ferrer, many a Catholic went last week to venerate the church’s latest acquisition. Exposed during a solemn novena was a gilded silver reliquary containing a finger joint of St. Vincent Ferrer—one of the largest major relics extant of a man who was one of the greatest evangelists of all time. Vincent Ferrer (1350-1419), of knightly Spanish birth, belonged to the Order of Friars Preachers (Dominicans). For 50 years he lived austerely, declined all honors. With middle age came Vincent Ferrer’s renown as a wonder worker. He preached across the length & breadth of Western Europe, sometimes followed by an odd army of 10,000 penitents. He is estimated to have converted 25,000 Spanish Jews. No linguist, he was credited with having the pentecostal “gift of tongues” so that his word was understood everywhere. In his last 20 years this Dominican was believed to have performed 58,000 miracles, or eight a day. He was canonized in 1455. The Dominicans who conduct the Manhattan church were piously pleased to receive their patron’s relic. The Very Rev. William A. Marchant, prior and pastor of St. Vincent Ferrer’s, estimated the reliquary to be at least 450 years old. But who the “personal friend” was that brought him this invaluable antique, Father Marchant would not tell.