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From the fourth century, non-anatomical relics, above all that of the [[True Cross]], were divided and widely distributed. While in the West a decree of emperor Theodosius I only allowed the moving of a whole [[sarcophagus]] with its contents, the upheavals of the barbarian invasions caused a relaxation of the rules, as relics needed to be moved to safer places.<ref>Eduard Syndicus; ''Early Christian Art''; p. 73; Burns & Oates, London, 1962;Catholic Encyclopedia (1913) on the Louvre slab and True Cross.</ref>
In the fourth century, St. [[Basil the Great]] requested of the ruler of Scythia Minor, Junius Soranus (Saran), that he should send him the relics of saints of that region. In 373 or 374, the relics of [[Savas Sava the Goth]] was sent to him in Caesarea Mazaca of Cappadocia, accompanied by a letter, the 'Epistle of the Church of God in Gothia to the Church of God located in Cappadocia and to all the Local Churches of the Holy Universal Church'. The sending of Savas' relics and the writing of the actual letter has been attributed to [[Bretannio of Tomi]]. This letter, written in Greek, is the oldest known writing to be composed on what is now Romanian soil.
The formal translation of relics became a solemn and important event, the memory of which is now often remembered with a [[feast day]] associated with each significant translation.
