A second notable feature of Maria Stein is the Shrine of the Holy Relicshttp://www.mariasteincenter.org. Relics include body parts (usually bones) from saints or objects that belonged to a saint. They are held in high respect because they represent individuals who have led exemplary lives. Father Francis de Sales Brunner, the missionary who led the "Precious Blood" order of priests, was a collector of relics. He was responsible for the first collection of relics in Maria Stein. Over the 19th century other relics were added to the core collection as a way of protecting them from the continuous strife of 19th century Italy. In 1892 a separate "relic chapel" was established in which Sisters of the Precious Blood conducted a continous (24 h each day) vigil. The collection of relics is the second largest in the United States. The Sacred Heart Relic Chapelhttp://www.phonyexpress.com/mariasteincenter/pages/mscrelicchapel.html is a kaleidoscope of color, 18th and 19th century German carving, and relics distributed throughout the chapel. The "relic chapel" is connected to a larger chapel that is the central feature of an interesting 19th century brick convent. A recent segment on National Public Radiohttp://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria_Stein%2C_Ohio