DAYTON, Ohio — Kayla Harris, the curator at the University of Dayton’s Marian Library, said she not only wanted to show various Catholic Shrines across the world, but also what tourists do there, and why they chose to go.
And after years of collecting these priceless artifacts, now was the right time for the public reveal.
“We haven’t been traveling a lot the past year because of COVID. And so, this is kind of a way to travel vicariously through souvenirs throughout the world,” said Harris.
Priceless relics are included as well, some dating back more than 2,000 years.
“Loreto is in Italy, and that is where allegedly the house of the Holy Family was moved to. The house where Mary, Jesus and Joseph lived. At it was supposedly flown by angels to Loreto,” said Harris.
Visitors also have the opportunity to flip through scrapbooks filled with postcards, holy cards, or photographs from Marian shrines, as well as take home their own souvenir.
Harris said for many believers, relics are a way to deepen one’s faith and she hopes visitors treasure the experience.
“There’s a lot of things that Catholics use, rosaries, things like relics. To be able to see these tangible pieces of saints and remember that saints were people too. Being able to see something like this in Dayton, Ohio is a really great opportunity,” said Harris.
The Journey’s of Faith — Shrines, Souvenirs and Catholic Tourism exhibit is open to the public until Jan. 31.
The exhibit is located in the Marian Library Gallery on the seventh floor of the Roesch Library in Dayton.
