The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1952-01-04
Science ShOius St. Peters Tomb
AT Spot Venerated 10 Centuries
Report Condition of Grave
Makes Inspection By
Public Impractical
BY Rev. Joseph J. Sullivan
radio, (N.c.W.c. News Servicel

VA AlllAIN III 1-AfIer MS mar
tyrdom, in the year 81 or 81 of the
Christian era, st. Peter was buried
in common wayside grave along
the road leading up Vatican Hill.
The Prince of the Apostles and
first Pope was not laid to rest in
a sarcophagus or a mausoleum. His
grave was and is located in exactly
the same spot that has been indi-
Gated by Christian tradition
through 10 centuries.
This spot has been held sacred
and has been venerated, without
interruption, virtually sin c.e the
time of st. Peters martyr death.
And this spot is today beneath the
Papal altar of st. Peters Basilica
This information, coming from a
person thoroughly familiar with
the immensely complex problem
has been fully substantiated in two
volumes just presented to his HoIi.
ness Pope Plus XII. They contain
the illustrated record of the archie.
illogical findings during t1e ex.
cavationS of the past ten years be.
meath the crypt of st. Peters.
The volumes were presented to
the Pontiff by Msgr. Ludwig Kaas,
secretary of the Sacred Congrega-
ton of the Basilica of st. Peter,
and four psychologists who carried
out the work under his direction.
The scientists were the Revs. An
tonic Ferrua, S. j., and Engelbert
Kirschbaum, S. j., Prof. Enri C o
Josi and Architect Bruno ApoI.
lonii-Ghetti.
The excavators did not find any
sarcophagus or remains of maus-
oleum containing the relics of St
Peters. This fact is explained by
OSserUdtore Romano in its review
of the official report. Few tombs
have remained unopened through.
out history, says the Vatican City
daily-particularly the tombs of
persons who left fame or infamy
behind them.
"Yet," OSSerUdtore continues,
"their ruins remain ineffaceably.
And that is what we see today
in manner which is scientifically
unquestionable-of the tomb of the
Prince of the Apostles"
'The excavations reveal" OsSer.
Udtore continues, that right here,
under the Altar of the Confession,
lie in the bare earth tombs and
graves which must be definite
ly dated as belonging to the second
half of the first century. These
tombs, and a small area before
them, have remained remarkably
intact when, from the beginning of
the second century, great mum.
ber of pagan mausoleums :. in
vaded the whole zone, lined along
both sides of the rather steep slope
of hill, facing southwards."
The nub of the whole question is
the continuing regard for this par.
ticular spot, ever since the time oil
st, Peters burial. New graves and
mausoleums were added as this
cemetery developed; yet there was
one carefully segregated rectangle
which was never encr0ached upon.
New graves were built upon old.
er tombs, the OSSerUatore article
says, arranged around a small
space which remains singularly re.
spected . :. All constructions which
have succeeded one another here
and which can be dated with
certainty from slightly after the
year $50, have remained fixed on
this one point and have made il
an object of honor"
Three weighty reasons make il
impracticable to open the tomb OF
st. Peter to the general public
Msgr. Ludwig Kaas told this cor.
respondent.
Cd The space leading to the
tomb is so narrow that a person
almost has to be an acrobat to get
there. (2) st. Peters tomb is sur.
rounded by other priceless relies
which could easily be destroyed
by a careless public. CD A person
unframed in archaeology could tell
little il anything from seeing the
tomb.
Archaeologists themselves had
considerable difficulty in getting
to the tomb, the Monsignor said
Only by "acrobatics" do they reach
| it.
II would tremble for the destruc.
tion of an important and priceless
relic if you, for example, were to
try to reach the tomb" the Mon,
signor told this six-foot-three-inch
200-pound correspondent.
The danger is that in the pro,
cess of maneuvering through the
narrow opening one must put his
foot with full weight on one of the
most ancient tombs that surround
the grave of st. Peter, MonsignoI
Kaas said. There would be real
danger about its holding such
weight. Many other things make il
hard to reach the tomb. There are
for example, the successive orna
mental constructions placed around