29 June 2009
Bone fragments found in a Rome basilica are said to belong to St Paul, Pope Benedict XVI has said.
The analysis was carried out after a tiny probe was pushed through into the tomb beneath the Basilica of St Paul Outside the Walls, which is said to have been built on the site where he was buried.
Vatican archaeologists uncovered the tomb in 2006 in a crypt under the basilica and said the fact that it was positioned exactly underneath the epigraph “Paulo Apostolo Mart” (meaning “Paul the Apostle and Martyr”) at the base of the main altar was conclusive proof that it was his final resting place.
The tomb also has a hole in the top through which which pieces of cloth could be pushed, touching the relic and becoming holy in their turn.
There has been a shrine on the site since the 3rd Century after the Emperor Constantine consecrated a basilica at the spot where, according to Christian tradition, Paul’s body was buried in a vineyard by a Roman woman.
Pope Benedict said: “The sarcophagus under the altar dedicated to St Paul has recently been the object of detailed scientific analysis.
“It had not been opened in centuries and a tiny hole was made in it, through which a special probe was passed which found traces of a precious purple lined, decorated with gold sequins and a blue fabric with linen.
“Within the sarcophagus were also tiny bony fragments and these were put through carbon 14 testing by experts who did not know where they were from and they revealed that they were from a person who lived during the 1st or 2nd Century AD.
“This seems to confirm the unanimous and uncontested tradition that they are the mortal remains of the Apostle Paul. All this fills our souls with deep emotion.”
Monday is the feast of St Peter and Paul, who are the patron saints of Rome and a bank holiday in the city, and the news was expected to attract increased visitors to the basilica.
It was the second announcement from the Vatican regarding St Paul in as many days – earlier it was revealed that the oldest known icon of the saint had been found in a nearby catacomb.
Experts said the icon – which showed the traditional image of St Paul, with large eyes, sunken features and a long beard – was from the 4th Century AD.
St Paul was a Roman Jew, born in Tarsus in modern-day Turkey, who started out persecuting Christians but later became one of the greatest influences in the Church.
He did not know Jesus in life but converted to Christianity after seeing a shining light on the road to Damascus and spent much of his life travelling and preaching.
St Paul wrote 14 letters to Churches which he founded or visited. His epistles tell Christians what they should believe and how they should live but do not say much about Jesus’ life and teachings.
He was executed for his beliefs around AD 65 and is thought to have been beheaded, rather than crucified, because he was a Roman citizen.
SKY