noun
holy relic; sacred relic
Refers to physical remains or personal effects of a saint or venerated person, often kept as objects of religious veneration. Common in Christian contexts but also used for Buddhist relics.
その教会には聖遺物が納められている。
Holy relics are enshrined in that church.
聖遺物の真贋をめぐって議論が続いている。
Debate continues over the authenticity of the relic.
舎利 specifically refers to Buddhist relics, often the crystalline remains after cremation of a Buddha or saint, whereas 聖遺物 is broader and includes Christian relics.
Compound of 聖 (holy, sacred) and 遺物 (relic, remains). The term is a direct translation of the Western concept of 'holy relic', likely coined in the context of Christian missionary work in Japan.