[afraidfortherepublic]

A few years ago there was a travelling exhibit that came to Milwaukee of artifacts from the Vatican and a reconstruction (model) of this tomb. Fascinating. In addition, I was 'gobsmacked' to learn that the search for this tomb was secretly financed by George Strake -- a name well known around Houston where I lived for 10 years previously. My sons received a very fine education at Strake Jesuit High School when we lived there and George Strake Jr. served Lt. Governor of Texas in the 1980s. Needless to say, I've ordered this book. All of the profits will be donated for the relief of Christians in the Middle East. The author, John O'Neill, is the same man who wrote the Swift Boat book.

[afraidfortherepublic]

ping

[Empireoftheatom48]

I was able to take the Scavi tour. It was fascinating, all the other burials pushed close to Peter’s surrounding his Tomb.

[afraidfortherepublic]

FTA: The great search for the Apostle was secretly launched in 1939 after a workman fell twenty feet into the unknown world. It proceeded in absolute secrecy (anonymously financed by the Texas oilman, George Strake) using only hand tools, as St. Peter’s was surrounded by fascist black shirts and then Nazi troops. In 1950, word of the dig leaked. While a marker of Peter’s grave was discovered, there was still no Peter. The inscriptions seemed unreadable to the excavators.

One of the twentieth century’s greatest archaeologists, Margherita Guarducci, was brought into the project. Through many years of study, she was able to decipher the early inscriptions and through them, locate Peter’s remains – only a few inches from the direct center of St. Peter’s Basilica above. Extensive testing and forensic examination verified the remains of the first century, roughly 65-year-old man (who had been crucified upside-down by Nero) as Peter. Pope Francis then displayed the relics to a large crowd in St. Peter’s Square and proclaimed these as Peter in 2013, validating Guarducci’s work and the long search of 75 years.

[sphinx]

For later

[Interesting Times]

Interesting article by John O’Neill.