What do we call the holy objects kept in a reliquary?

The story behind the answer

Because a reliquary is the container, the holy items inside are relics—physical remains or objects linked to a saint or to Christ. Icons are devotional images, and shrines are places of veneration, not the contents. In medieval Christianity, relics were believed to channel divine grace and protection, so churches fiercely sought them to enhance prestige and attract worshippers.

Reliquaries became glittering artworks in gold, enamel, and gems, often with rock crystal windows to display their treasures. Pilgrims traveled to see famed examples—fragments of the True Cross, bones of apostles—fueling local economies and shaping routes like the Camino de Santiago. The Church classified them as first-, second-, or third-class and fought forgery with inventories and seals.