It depends on whether the saint printed up the e-mail and touched it. 
I guess the original server hard drive that held the e-mail in cyberspace would be a second-class relic; printing an e-mail (or viewing it on your computer) would be the equivalent of a photocopy of a letter.
The key clause in what I said was "...and touched it."
Actually, that letter would be a third-class relic. First-class relics usually are body parts from saints; second-class relics usually are instruments of Christ's Passion (such as the crown of thorns); and third-class relics usually are things a saint touched or things touched to the body of a saint. My guess is that an email would be a writing of the saint and the keyboard used to compose it would be the third-class relic.
Information to do with as you will. Carry on.
"A first class relic". That's what my kids call me.
ASCII. 
Maybe a Tenderfoot relic. As the rank for newly minted Boy Scouts. Could lead to Eagle relics. One never knows do one.
I've always understood 2nd-class relics to be those that the saint touched and used, not those that were touched to the saint.
I think we'd have to call it an
"E-relic".
My vote is for coach class relic. Or better yet, business class.
I hope never to see a hard drive in a side altar of a major cathedral!!
"a letter from a saint is a second class relic"
Even if it's first-class mail?
These comments are all PRICELESS!
I think that Mia has it right. If an email is a third class relic, then the following would be third class relics as well:
- a letter dictated by but not touched by St. Catherine of Siena;
- any printed copy of the works of St. John of the Cross;
- (given a few more years) a video tape of Fulton Sheen or John Paul II.
Commenting by HaloScan
