The Sacrament was reverently placed in a tabernacle on the 'repository' altar and decorated with flowers and candles. There it would stay until Good Friday. Now he stood beside the illuminated alter with one hand on the bones of Saint Hugh, as, it seemed, the entire population of Brno filed past the venerated shrine, knelt, and genuflected. In this part of the world it was a popular custom for the more devoted members of the church to visit seven such shrines in the next twenty four hours. But the one kept safe by Saint Hugh was of particular importance.
As he smiled at his parishioners and gave them his blessing he kept wondering, not about the just completed mass - the best in his life - but about the visit that had been made to his church just the previous day. To his surprise Monsignor Schrattenbach, accompanied by a monk from St. Thomas' monastery, had arrived unannounced at the church and asked to see the bones of Saint Hugh. Mystified, Fr. Vitezslav had shown them the reliquary that normally rested on the side alter, but this had not been enough; they wanted to see the bones.
It had taken some time to find the key to the ornate, silver chased box that reputedly held the last mortal remains of Lincoln's saint, and it had not been easy to pry open the casket after these many years. But eventually the lid creaked open and a sweet musty smell escaped, making them all gasp. Gingerly they peered inside. Lying in a muddy pool of congealed oil were some pieces of a skull and several almost unrecognizable segments of femur and tibia. That was all.
All three men reflexively crossed themselves.
Later, when the casket had been closed and returned to the side altar, Monsignor Shrattenbach had drawn the priest to one side and began to explain the role he was expected to play on Holy Saturday. It was simple enough. As the Easter Vigil began with the appearance of the first star, Fr. Vitezslav was to take the reliquary, and their sacred bones, off the side alter and join the parade that would be passing outside his church. He would stay with the procession as it wound its way through the streets of Brno and up to the steps outside St. Peter and St. Paul's cathedral. There he would stay as close as he could, still holding the reliquary, at the side of the Bishop for the lighting of the Paschal candle and the blessing of the fire.
That part was easy, but, as he stood at the height of his triumph on Holy Thursday, Fr. Vitezslav could not help wondering about the meaning of his final instruction. On a sign given by the Monsignor, the Father was to open the reliquary in a special way. In fact, he had been told to practice the opening technique so it would go smoothly on the night of the Vigil. It was all very confusing. The Monsignor had said something about a miracle, and possibly a sign from Saint Hugh himself, but he had left the details somewhat vague.