Incredible skeletal remains of 'Catholic saints' dug up, still dripping in gems and jewellery

Daily Mail ^ | 6 September 2013 | Daily Mail Reporter

[Alex Murphy]

A relic hunter dubbed 'Indiana Bones' has lifted the lid on a macabre collection of 400-year-old jewel-encrusted skeletons unearthed in churches across Europe.

Art historian Paul Koudounaris hunted down and photographed dozens of gruesome skeletons in some of the world's most secretive religious establishments.

Incredibly, some of the skeletons, said to be the remains of early Christian martyrs, were even found hidden away in lock-ups and containers.

They are now the subject of a new book, which sheds light on the forgotten ornamented relics for the first time.

Thousands of skeletons were dug up from Roman catacombs in the 16th century and installed in towns around Germany, Austria and Switzerland on the orders of the Vatican.

They were sent to Catholic churches and religious houses to replace the relics destroyed in the wake of the Protestant Reformation in the 1500s.

Mistaken for the remains of early Christian martyrs, the morbid relics, known as the Catacomb Saints, became shrines reminding of the spiritual treasures of the afterlife.

They were also symbols of the Catholic Church's newly found strength in previously Protestant areas.

Each one was painstakingly decorated in thousands of pounds worth of gold, silver and gems by devoted followers before being displayed in church niches.

Some took up to five years to decorate.

They were renamed as saints, although none of them qualified for the title under the strict rules of the Catholic church which require saints to have been canonised.

But by the 19th century they had become morbid reminders of an embarrassing past and many were stripped of their honours and discarded.

Mr Koudounaris' new book, Heavenly Bodies: Cult Treasures and Spectacular Saints from the Catacombs, is the first time the skeletons have appeared in print.

[Alex Murphy]

Title has been shortened and modified to fit FR. Full title at original:
Incredible skeletal remains of 'Catholic saints' that are still dripping in gems and jewellery and have now been dug up by 'Indiana Bones' explorer

Thousands of skeletons were dug up from Roman catacombs in the 16th century and installed in towns around Germany, Austria and Switzerland on the orders of the Vatican. They were sent to Catholic churches and religious houses to replace the relics destroyed in the wake of the Protestant Reformation in the 1500s. Mistaken for the remains of early Christian martyrs, the morbid relics, known as the Catacomb Saints, became shrines reminding of the spiritual treasures of the afterlife. They were also symbols of the Catholic Church's newly found strength in previously Protestant areas. Each one was painstakingly decorated in thousands of pounds worth of gold, silver and gems by devoted followers before being displayed in church niches. Some took up to five years to decorate. They were renamed as saints, although none of them qualified for the title under the strict rules of the Catholic church which require saints to have been canonised.

[al_c]

So how old does a grave have to be before it moves from grave robbing to archeology?

[stars & stripes forever]

Cash it in and give the proceeds to the poor.

[smvoice]

I see an e-bay auction coming up soon..

[Puppage]

16TH century Bling Ping!

[albie]

Looks like Michelle at the presidential ball...minus 250 pounds.

[smvoice]

A great example of meekness, being humble, and taking a vow of poverty if I’ve ever seen one. Yes, this is exactly what Christ wants to see when He raises us up to be with Him. A person laden with jewels and gold. So laden that it’s gonna take a crane to lift his bones. Carry on , RCC. Carry on.

[miss marmelstein]

Don’t worry, we will!

The jewels look utterly beautiful. Great art from the Catholics - as usual.

[bgill]

No wonder he died, loaded down with all that pretty weight.

[Kommodor]

For where your treasure is, there shall your heart be also?

[MHGinTN]

I wonder how much of that treasure was once a part of the Knights Templar haul?

[SumProVita]

Carry on , RCC. Carry on.

_________________________

;-)

We most certainly, with the grace of God, WILL carry on...which we have done for over 2,000 years, despite the hate and persecution.

[SpirituTuo]

Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper,

7 There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat.

8 But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste?

9 For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor.

10 When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me.

11 For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always.

12 For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial.

13 Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.

Matthew 26:6-13 KJV http://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Matthew-Chapter-26/

[miss marmelstein]

Catholic art-lover, Camille Paglia, is going to faint when she sees these artifacts. Btw, you can see this kind of stuff any day in Italy or Sicily. Very common except for the high level of artistry in the jewelry.

[Resolute Conservative]

Depends on the digger, you and I never.

[RedMonqey]

Don't feel too smug about the RCC.

This is as far from the teachings of Christ as Today's ‘Wealth and Prosperity” ministries seen in “Protestant” televangelists today....

Their perversions of are reflections of today's TV megachurchs, with jewels instead of multiple mansions, luxury cars and corporate jets....

[Phillyred]

Well done! The Catholic-bashing never ends. 2000 years speaks for itself.

[Triple]

Some are actually on display in tiny churches. The churches themselves are very hard to find. The displays inside the church are in alcoves. (They were not labelled in any way, so, I am assuming they were these “saints.”)

Really weird experience to spot one, especially your first.

[smvoice]

you. just. don’t. get. it. do. you.