Catacomb saints
Catacomb saints are the remains or bones of Christian martyrs who lived a very long time ago. These people were killed for their belief in Jesus Christ, and they were buried in underground tunnels known as catacombs.
During the Middle Ages, these bones were dug up by the people in charge of the catacombs and were given to churches and religious institutions as holy relics. The bones were often decorated with gold, silver, and jewels and displayed in beautiful containers. People believed that these relics were very powerful and could be used to perform miracles.
Many churches throughout Europe had their own catacomb saints that were highly prized and often placed on display for all to see. The practice of collecting and displaying these relics became so popular that there became a shortage of genuine martyr's bones. As a result, many bones were modified to look more impressive or were simply fake.
Today, some churches still have these catacomb saints on display, but many have stopped using them because of their questionable authenticity. Nevertheless, they remain a fascinating part of history that shows how important religious relics were in the past.
During the Middle Ages, these bones were dug up by the people in charge of the catacombs and were given to churches and religious institutions as holy relics. The bones were often decorated with gold, silver, and jewels and displayed in beautiful containers. People believed that these relics were very powerful and could be used to perform miracles.
Many churches throughout Europe had their own catacomb saints that were highly prized and often placed on display for all to see. The practice of collecting and displaying these relics became so popular that there became a shortage of genuine martyr's bones. As a result, many bones were modified to look more impressive or were simply fake.
Today, some churches still have these catacomb saints on display, but many have stopped using them because of their questionable authenticity. Nevertheless, they remain a fascinating part of history that shows how important religious relics were in the past.