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Vatican archaeologists unearth St. Paul's tomb
Pravda ^ | December 6, 2006

Posted on 12/06/2006 6:18:21 AM PST by NYer

Vatican archaeologists have unearthed a sarcophagus believed to contain the remains of the Apostle Paul that had been buried beneath Rome's second largest basilica. The sarcophagus, which dates back to at least 390 A.D., has been the subject of an extended excavation that began in 2002 and was completed last month, the project's head said this week.

"Our objective was to bring the remains of the tomb back to light for devotional reasons, so that it could be venerated and be visible," said Giorgio Filippi, the Vatican archaeologist who headed the project at St. Paul Outside the Walls basilica.

The interior of the sarcophagus has not yet been explored, but Filippi didn't rule out the possibility of doing so in the future.

Two ancient churches that once stood at the site of the current basilica were successively built over the spot where tradition said the saint had been buried. The second church, built by the Roman emperor Theodosius in the fourth century, left the tomb visible, first above ground and later in a crypt.

When a fire destroyed the church in 1823, the current basilica was built and the ancient crypt was filled with earth and covered by a new altar.

"We were always certain that the tomb had to be there beneath the papal altar," Filippi told The Associated Press in a telephone interview.

Filippi said that the decision to make the sarcophagus visible again was taken after many pilgrims who came to Rome during the Catholic Church's 2000 Jubilee year expressed disappointment at finding that the saint's tomb could not be visited or touched.

The findings of the project will be officially presented during a news conference at the Vatican on Monday.


TOPICS: Religion & Culture
KEYWORDS: apostlepaul; archaeology; catholic; christianity; godsgravesglyphs; paul; relics; romancatholicism; rome; saintpaul; stpaul; vatican
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To: P-Marlowe; FourtySeven; GourmetDan
Lincoln's tomb, where Lincoln is worshipped in derogation of God:

Idol of Lincoln inside the tomb:

Tomb of Lincoln, used for political ancestor-worship:


121 posted on 12/06/2006 8:49:20 AM PST by Campion ("I am so tired of you, liberal church in America" -- Mother Angelica, 1993)
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To: Nihil Obstat

That is very funny now that you mention it.


122 posted on 12/06/2006 8:49:29 AM PST by AmericaUnited
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To: AmericaUnited

do you ever visit graves of your deceased relatives? get a grip


123 posted on 12/06/2006 8:50:47 AM PST by Nihil Obstat (viva il papa)
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To: Colofornian
All I'm saying is that for every devotion targeted to a dead saint, the main target is being missed.

And we're saying you're engaging in rash judgement, and ought to pluck the plank out of your own eye.

124 posted on 12/06/2006 8:52:03 AM PST by Campion ("I am so tired of you, liberal church in America" -- Mother Angelica, 1993)
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To: Campion
Now that's a silly argument. "Trinity" comes from a Latin root, too. So does "Incarnation". Are those not "New Testament traditions," either?

Talk about "silly." "Easter" is not in the Bible, either--nor is "Christmas." But the birth, death and resurrection is clearly there, as is the incarnation (Phil 2, etc.) and Trinity (multiple passages) you reference. The actualies of the incarnation and Trinity are testamental realities--not merely terms slapped on after the fact.

In other words, the key here is not simply to make word distinctions only...note I used the phrase "word & practice" in previous posting. Show me the "practice" of any Biblical character praying to or being devoted to someone who was dead besides the use of a medium in Saul & Samuel's day.

"Veneration" is not simply a contextual-less word. It has a use and practice today. The question is: As it is applied today, are there precedents for it that exist in Biblical times?

125 posted on 12/06/2006 8:53:22 AM PST by Colofornian
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To: GourmetDan; AmericaUnited; Guenevere; BibChr; NYer; sittnick; ninenot; ArrogantBustard; ...
GourmetDan:

When Catholics need your idiosyncratic views of Scripture to inform us as to Catholicism or less complete forms of Christianity, we will be sure to let you be the first to know. St. Paul came along about 1500 years before Luther suddenly imagined himself called to "reform" the Catholic religion founded and guaranteed by the promises of Jesus Christ Himself. St. Paul is a standard under Jesus Christ. Luther is a deviation.

As to "ancestor" "worship", there are two elements. First St. Paul would have to qualify as an ancestor. He was a bishop if ever there was one. According to some folks, that suggests that he must have been at least a husband and possibly a father. Name his wife and each of his children.

Second, there is the matter of "worship." Definition please.

Next, there is a rather sizable Lutheran Church in a community near me, so sizable that it has an inner city location as well as a much larger location in a nicer location. Each is called St. Paul's Lutheran. Are the good folks of those congregations running a risk of "ancestor worship???" Should they rename their facilities Harvest Moon Lutheran or whatever???? Likewise, Episcopalians have the Cathedral of St. John in NYC.

More importantly, who died and left you or your fellow reformists in charge of preaching your respective curious idiosyncrasies as to Scripture at Catholics????

You don't actually believe that any adequately catechized Roman Catholic is going to swap the Truth and the guarantees and promises of Jesus Christ and the Mass and the 7 sacraments established by Him for the choice of some cult among tens of thousands in the reformed stew of idiosyncratic and often conflicting "Scriptural" interpretations by each and every reformed Tom, Dick and squabbling Harriet with a Bible, some reading lessons and an agenda and a half, do you???

We Catholics draft no one much less you. Go preach to your own. Do you actually think you perform a service by dividing conservatives on websites such as this???

126 posted on 12/06/2006 8:54:21 AM PST by BlackElk (Dean of Discipline of the Tomas de Torquemada Gentlemen's Club)
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To: Colofornian
Show me the "practice" of any Biblical character praying to or being devoted to someone who was dead

There were people being healed by touching Elijah's dead bones, last time I checked.

127 posted on 12/06/2006 8:54:51 AM PST by Campion ("I am so tired of you, liberal church in America" -- Mother Angelica, 1993)
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To: Titanites
I advise you to reread Chapter 67, Article 268, Paragraph IIIA of the Secret Vatican Handbook. You are not supposed to let them know about the goats.

Yes, I'll go in for the flogging next week. Oops, another secret divulged!

128 posted on 12/06/2006 8:57:50 AM PST by FourtySeven (47)
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To: Colofornian; Campion
Show me the "practice" of any Biblical character

First, show us where "Biblical" is in the Bible.

129 posted on 12/06/2006 8:58:57 AM PST by Titanites
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To: Campion

Tsk, tsk, tsk. A pagan obelisk, no less, in that first photo.


130 posted on 12/06/2006 9:00:06 AM PST by Titanites
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To: FourtySeven

Well, when the Jesuits and Opus Dei take over the world, I wouldn't expect to get invitations to the good parties if I were you.


131 posted on 12/06/2006 9:00:11 AM PST by Campion ("I am so tired of you, liberal church in America" -- Mother Angelica, 1993)
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To: BibChr

I've been busy for a few years, now that I'm back I see that your still stuck on stupid.

Not that I'm surprised.


132 posted on 12/06/2006 9:00:27 AM PST by Cap'n Crunch
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To: Campion
And we're saying you're engaging in rash judgment, and ought to pluck the plank out of your own eye.

He/She said judgmentally.

As for whether it's "rash," I'm not painting a broad brush. Many Catholics do not pray to dead saints.

But pick up any newspaper and read the ad section. Inevitably, some saint is being venerated as having the "market" on answered prayers for some specialty.

It's this practice that leads me to investigate, "What is the broader foundational structure that undergirds these ads and spiritual practices?"

All I am doing is exploring that. Now if you're telling me there's no relationship between the devotion and veneration of a dead saint's tomb and those newspaper ads I read, clarify for me how I'm off-base. I'm willing to be "tutored" in this area.

133 posted on 12/06/2006 9:00:41 AM PST by Colofornian
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To: Campion; Colofornian

I say we destroy those evil statues and memorials!!!!!!!! Can't let anything distract us as a NATION, of what we should REALLY be venerating, and venerating alone, GOD!

That reminds me, time to burn the pictures of my dead relatives. I keep forgetting. After all, can't let anything "dilute" my love of God!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


134 posted on 12/06/2006 9:02:05 AM PST by FourtySeven (47)
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To: Colofornian
Now if you're telling me there's no relationship between the devotion and veneration of a dead saint's tomb and those newspaper ads I read, clarify for me how I'm off-base.

I wouldn't say there's "no relationship," but the newspaper ads are basically informal folk piety. But I think it's strange that you would think a newspaper ad that says "thank you" somehow tends toward idolatry.

135 posted on 12/06/2006 9:03:00 AM PST by Campion ("I am so tired of you, liberal church in America" -- Mother Angelica, 1993)
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To: Cap'n Crunch

...and for every dog that yelps, another direct hit is scored.


136 posted on 12/06/2006 9:03:03 AM PST by BibChr ("...behold, they have rejected the word of the LORD, so what wisdom is in them?" [Jer. 8:9])
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To: Campion

Visitors often stop to rub the nose of this evocative bronze bust at the entrance. It's the work of Gutzon Borglum, who is most famous for his rendition of Lincoln at Mount Rushmore. You can see the original marble bust in the the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.

Touching of the nose. More idol worship by ignorant Americans.

137 posted on 12/06/2006 9:04:01 AM PST by Titanites
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To: BlackElk

9000 words are a waste... Once again, WWPD - What Would Paul Do? How much more can you HONOR/VENERATE a person by abiding by their wishes?! Paul would have none of this.

Your argument is with Paul, not me.


138 posted on 12/06/2006 9:05:11 AM PST by AmericaUnited
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To: RobbyS
Gnosticism is an ever-present threat. Which is one reason why the dogma of the resurrection of the dead is under emphasized, and the immortal soul is thought of as the authentic human being and the body just a husk.

It's not just a husk since Jesus came back with a body. He ate to prove it, let Thomas touch him to prove it. Bodies are sacred when they are alive. When they are dead they are still reminders that God used and uses the machinery of the world to do his will. He made his own Son flesh and blood, not a blob of light. And he promised ressurection of the body.

139 posted on 12/06/2006 9:07:07 AM PST by Puddleglum
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To: BibChr
Demonstrating your charity and spiritual insight by accusing people of idolatry and then calling them "dogs," Dan?

That's certainly the way to win the world for Christ.

140 posted on 12/06/2006 9:07:30 AM PST by Campion ("I am so tired of you, liberal church in America" -- Mother Angelica, 1993)
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