'pity' or 'compassion';[2] Latin: pulvis, ex exuviis) is dust collected from the burial site of a Christian saint or martyr for veneration or consumption.
Among Assyrian, Ethiopian, and early Latin Christians, the dust of holy persons was associated with healing powers.
[3][4] Marco Polo and Giovanni de' Marignolli observed and documented the practice of using dust from Thomas's tomb during their travels.
[7] Ethiopian Orthodox faithful would mirror Nestorian practice, replacing dust associated with Thomas with that from a local saint, Tekle Haymanot.
Among these are ex exuviis and de pulvere corporis, both the ash or dust left over from a body's decomposition, and ex ligneo pulvere, mixto pulveri corporis, quem residuum continebat prima capsa funeralis, dust from the first coffin which had been impregnated with the products of decomposition.