Posted on 09/28/2007 5:32:07 PM PDT by Teófilo
What I liked best was this link: Scavi - Necropolis, which will take you to two books, one of which I've read already, the other was referenced in the first one, and you will find them at the best of all prices: free.
The first book is The Bones of St Peter by John E Walsh. The complete text of this book by John Evangelist Walsh presents the entire story of the excavations and the search for the actual bones of St. Peter. This book is a well-balanced discussion of whether the bones found at St Peter's tomb are actually those of the Apostle.
The other book is Tomb of St Peter by M. Guarducci. Margherita Guarducci was the distinguished Italian archaeologist who worked for years to deciper the graffiti found in the Necropolis. On Wall G, at the tomb of St Peter, Professor Guarducci discovered a religious "cryptography" where the ancient faithful had left their prayers.
These books are very useful. Perhaps you've heard the story that "Peter was never in Rome" and therefore "he could not have been the first Pope" and so forth. Read these books and then tell those who like to deny the Petrine origin of the office of the Bishop of Rome to come up with some other excuse.
Anyway, a great site to visit and to mark as a favorite!
PING!
Within what, the tomb? I rather think Peter is in Heaven, though perhaps his bones are indeed within the tomb. But, they are not Peter.
Good links, though. Fascinating.
The phrase "Peter is within" refers to a graffito handwritten on the wall of the now subterranean shrine underneath the Basilica, in Greek. I thought it made for a good, catchy title.
-Theo
I see. Yes, it is catchy. Thanks!
often in my daily rosary, i meditate on what st peter must have gone thru...knowing the sinner he was, yet the great gift of strength he had from Jesus Himself....and he carried on...
that gives me hope quite often when i contemplate my own sins....
St. Peter knew his weaknesses-—and like St.Paul, he gloried in his weakness that Christ could be made strong in him. We are all weak and fallen creatures, rejoicing in the strength that the Lord continually offers to us.
As St. Paul says (and St. Peter already knew): “I can do all things in Him who strengthens me”.
God Bless.
It's been a while since I read those books but I seem to remember that the "Petros eni" was partially reconstructed, as some of the letters were missing. Some scholars preferred alternate readings.
I dunno who's right, but just throwing that out there. :)
I read Walsh’s outstanding book a while back.
There is a certain irony (a fortunate one, I hope) in that Pope Paul VI made the announcement about the identification or St. Peter’s remains in 1968, just when things were starting to unravel in the Church following the Second Vatican Council. Perhaps the Holy Spirit was at work telling us indirectly that, in finding St. Peter’s bones (which I acknowledge on the basis of faith), weary Catholics should also “find” the Apostle’s successor and look up to him even when the Barque sails on stormy waters.
Ping!
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