Q. 1198. {335} Why do we believe that the saints will help us? A. We believe that the saints will help us because both they and we are members of the same Church, and they love us as their brethren. Q. 1199. {336} How are the saints and we members of the same Church? A. The saints and we are members of the same Church, because the Church in heaven and the Church on earth are one and the same Church, and all its members are in communion with one another. Q. 1200. {337} What is the communion of the members of the Church called? A. The communion of the members of the Church is called the Communion of Saints. Q. 1201. {338} What does the communion of saints mean? A. The communion of saints means the union which exists between the members of the Church on earth with one another, and with the blessed in Heaven, and with the suffering souls in Purgatory. Q. 1202. {339} What benefits are derived from the communion of saints? A. The following benefits are derived from the communion of saints: the faithful on earth assist one another by their prayers and good works, and they are aided by the intercession of the saints in Heaven, while both the saints in Heaven and the faithful on earth help the souls in Purgatory. Q. 1203. How can we best honor the Saints, and where shall we learn their virtues? A. We can best honor the Saints by imitating their virtues, and we shall learn their virtues from the written accounts of their lives. Among the Saints we shall find models for every age, condition or state of life. Q. 1204. {340} Does the first Commandment forbid us to honor relics? A. The first Commandment does not forbid us to honor relics, because relics are the bodies of the saints or objects directly connected with them or with our Lord. Q. 1205. How many kinds or classes of relics are there? A. There are three kinds or classes of relics: (1) The body or part of the body of a saint; (2) articles, such as clothing or books, used by the saint; (3) articles that have touched a relic of the body or other relic. Q. 1206. What is there special about a relic of the true cross on which Our Lord Died, and also about the instruments of His Passion? A. The relics of the true Cross and relics of the thorns, nails, &c., used in the Passion are entitled to a very special veneration, and they have certain privileges with regard to their use and the manner of keeping them that other relics have not. A relic of the true Cross is never kept or carried with other relics. Q. 1207. What veneration does the Church permit us to give to relics? A. The Church permits us to give relics a veneration similar to that we give images. We do not venerate the relics for their own sake, but for the sake of the persons they represent. The souls of canonized saints are certainly in heaven, and we are certain that their bodies also will be there. Therefore, we may honor their bodies because they are to be glorified in heaven and were sanctified upon earth.