Every year on April 26, the Congregation of the Mission and the entire Vincentian Family celebrate the Translation of the Relics of Saint Vincent de Paul, a solemn occasion that bridges history, spirituality, and enduring devotion. More than a commemoration of a past event, it is a living call to renew the Vincentian charism: a life of concrete service to the poor and forgotten.
After his death on September 27, 1660, Saint Vincent de Paul was initially buried at Saint-Lazare in Paris. During the turmoil of the French Revolution, his tomb was desecrated, and his body was hidden to protect it from profanation. For many years, it remained concealed until it could be safely returned to public veneration.
The solemn translation of his relics took place on April 25, 1830, thanks to the efforts of Archbishop Luis Jacinto de Quélen. The Saint’s remains were moved from the Cathedral of Notre-Dame to the newly built Church of the Congregation of the Mission on Rue du Sèvres. It was an extraordinary event: a massive procession that included royal authorities, members of the episcopate, religious communities, people from every social class, and above all, the poor and the orphans — those dearest to Saint Vincent’s heart.
This public act was a universal recognition of the spirit that animated Saint Vincent: a profound, living charity that embraced the most vulnerable. His own humility is reflected in the words he spoke shortly before his death: “Soon the miserable body of this old sinner will be handed over to the earth, turned into dust, and trampled underfoot.” But God’s ways are not human ways: “He exalts the humble,” and today Saint Vincent’s relics are venerated at the Motherhouse in Paris, drawing pilgrims from around the world.
What does this memory mean for us today?
First, it reminds us that Saint Vincent is a living witness to holiness. His life was a shining fruit of Christ’s redemption, a beacon in the seventeenth century that continues to illuminate our own time. He remains a model of evangelical life, offered by the Church as an example for all who seek to embody Christian virtues. He is also a powerful intercessor, a friend in heaven who understands the burdens of earthly life and faithfully accompanies us with his prayer and protection.
This is not a memory of nostalgia, but a call to action. It invites each of us to let the fire of charity that once burned in Vincent’s heart be rekindled in ours — and to transform it into concrete, daily acts of love and service for the poorest among us.
Prayer
O God, who filled the heart of Saint Vincent de Paul
with mercy and compassion to alleviate human suffering,
grant that we, who celebrate the memory
of the translation of his relics,
may be set ablaze by the same spirit of charity,
and consecrate ourselves entirely, for Your love,
to the service of the most abandoned and the poor.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
