relic
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relic
An object that is religiously venerated as the remains of a saint or as an object that has been in contact with them.
Im Domschatz wird eine wertvolle Reliquie aus dem Mittelalter aufbewahrt.
A valuable relic from the Middle Ages is kept in the cathedral treasury.
relic
An object from a past time that is kept as a keepsake and has great sentimental value.
Der Füllfederhalter seines Großvaters ist für ihn eine wertvolle Reliquie.
His grandfather's fountain pen is a valuable relic to him.
The meaning can be recognized well from context. If the sentence is about religion, saints, or churches, it means a religious object. If it is about personal memories, heirlooms, or the past, the figurative meaning is meant.
In der Kathedrale wird eine Reliquie des Stadtpatrons gezeigt.
A relic of the city's patron saint is displayed in the cathedral.
In a religious context, 'Reliquie' is often combined with words like 'heilig' (holy), 'verehren' (to venerate), 'Schrein' (shrine), or 'aufbewahren' (to keep/store).
Tausende Pilger kamen, um die heilige Reliquie zu verehren.
Thousands of pilgrims came to venerate the holy relic.
The second meaning is a metaphor. An ordinary object is called a 'Reliquie' (relic) because it has very high sentimental or emotional value and is treated like a holy object.
Er hütet das erste Auto seines Vaters wie eine Reliquie.
He guards his father's first car like a relic.
souvenir / memory
Both an Andenken and a Reliquie can recall something from the past. An Andenken primarily serves this commemorative function; a Reliquie is carefully preserved because of its particularly high sentimental value. Reliquie is therefore appropriate when something has an exceptionally valuable connection to the past.
Für den Verein ist das alte Trikot eine wertvolle Reliquie aus seiner Anfangszeit.
For the club, the old jersey is a valuable relic from its early days.
Für Paul ist das alte Trikot ein Andenken an sein erstes Spiel.
For Paul, the old jersey is a keepsake of his first game.
