Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Toto · 07-01-2009, 10:51 AM

Quote:

The story of the archeological investigation beneath St. Peter's basilica begins in 1939, when the newly elected Pope Pius XII wanted to reorganize the tombs of the popes. Digging started in1941, and before long there were findings that make the imaginary plots of Dan Brown seem pedestrian.

Archeologists discovered the basilica was built over an ancient cemetery, and they explored over 300 feet of tombs that were partially leveled when Constantine started building an edifice about AD 320. Excavation was done in secret without power tools, since you couldn't shut down the major church in the Catholic world, and you didn't know what you'd find. Finally a central location was found under the present main altar. A red brick wall ("muro rosso"), and an inscription which may (or may not) have declared that "Peter is here." A nearby graphitto states "pray.. for the holy men buried near your body." A public announcement of the find was made in 1950.

The bones of St. Peter gives more details on prior archeological work.

2-J · 07-01-2009, 02:28 PM

There's definitely a Dan Brown style thriller in all the intrigue surrounding Peter's bones and what is under St.Peter's. Better source material than what's used in the Da Vinci code.

But, interesting as the story is, there's no evidence for anything more than a belief at the end of the 3rd century that Peter was buried in that place (though, at least the people saying that at the time were pointing to a cemetery of the right period).

mountainman · 07-01-2009, 10:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2-J

There's definitely a Dan Brown style thriller in all the intrigue surrounding Peter's bones and what is under St.Peter's.

What is under St. Peter's is the foundations
of yet another Hellenistic temple or shrine.
Why should that which is under St. Peter's
be any different to that which is under any
of the other 4th century Constantinian basilicas?

Quote:

Better source material than what's used in the Da Vinci code.

The key source material for the Da Vinci code was the gMary.
The gMary is another one of those "Hidden" Gnostic books.

Quote:

But, interesting as the story is, there's no evidence for anything more than a belief at the end of the 3rd century that Peter was buried in that place (though, at least the people saying that at the time were pointing to a cemetery of the right period).

Evidence for belief of Paul and Peter DOA Rome 1st century

How many times do I have to remind people that the NT apocrypha
are evidence in themselves. The "Hidden gnostic book" called
"The Acts of Paul" tells us this data. Who wrote it and when?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Back Again

I think all this means is that the chosen confidence limits from the C14 test somehow straddle 101CE. I wish people would report data better!

Comparanda C14 citations with respect to New Testament "Books":

1) gJudas - 4th century
2) gThomas - 4th century

Roger Pearse · 07-02-2009, 06:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toto

Who's buried in St. Peter's Basilica?

Quote:

The story of the archeological investigation beneath St. Peter's basilica begins in 1939, when the newly elected Pope Pius XII wanted to reorganize the tombs of the popes. Digging started in1941, and before long there were findings that make the imaginary plots of Dan Brown seem pedestrian.

Archeologists discovered the basilica was built over an ancient cemetery, and they explored over 300 feet of tombs that were partially leveled when Constantine started building an edifice about AD 320.

The main feature is a street of tombs, running down the Vatican hill. Constantine's architects chopped the roofs off and filled them with earth, to act as underpinning to the new basilica.

I understand that the street can be visited, by appointment, and is well worth seeing. But I have never seen it myself.

All the best,

Roger Pearse

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07-01-2009, 02:28 PM	#62
2-J Regular Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: UK Posts: 179	There's definitely a Dan Brown style thriller in all the intrigue surrounding Peter's bones and what is under St.Peter's. Better source material than what's used in the Da Vinci code. But, interesting as the story is, there's no evidence for anything more than a belief at the end of the 3rd century that Peter was buried in that place (though, at least the people saying that at the time were pointing to a cemetery of the right period).

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