Vatican archeologists have unearthed a sarcophagus believed to contain the remains of Apostle St. Paul that had been buried beneath St Paul basilica in Vatican.
The sarcophagus, which dates back to at least A.D. 390, has been the subject of an extended excavation run by St. Paul basilica.
"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 Gorgio Filippi, the Vatican archeologist who headed the project at St. Paul outside the Walls basilica.
The contents of the sarcophagus have 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.
When a fire destroyed the church in 19th century, the current basilica was built and the ancient crypt was filled with earth and covered by a new altar.
The findings of the project will be officially presented during a news conference at the Vatican on Monday.
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Comments
#1 This is an amazing
This is an amazing archaeological discovery. Finding the remains of Apostle St. Paul in Rome is just breath-taking.
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