REPORTED DISCOVERY OF ST. PETER’S BONES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27166, 23 August 1949, Page 5

REPORTED DISCOVERY OF ST. PETER’S BONES

NZr A—Copyright

Rec. 11 p.m. NEW YORK. Aug. 21. St. Peter’s bones are believed to have been found less than 20 feet below the pavement of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, says the New York Times correspondent in Rome, The veteran archaeologists who directed the excavations have taken the oath of secrecy and are therefore forbidden to confirm or deny the discovery. However, statements made over a period of months by various persons in the Vatican are said to have supplied enough circumstantial evidence that the remains of St. Petei have been recovered in the hypogeum. or subterranean cell where tradition said he’ was buried.

The correspondent says the crypt was unearthed two years ago in the course of secret excavations in the Vatican grottos. The bones are being preserved in an urn closely guarded by Pope Pius XTI himself in a private chapel next

to his study, according to Vatican officials. They said the discovery confirmed traditions and legends reported by historians during the past 1800 years about the life and work of the poor fisherman from Galilee who was said to be the most favoured, trusted, and authoritative disciple of Christ. Officials claim that the discovery disposes conclusively of non-Catholic contentions that Peter never lived, that if he did he was never in Rome, that he was not. therefore, the. founder of the Roman Catholic Church, and that the Bishop of Rome—the Pope—is not his successor.

According to the officials the reason for keeping the discovery secret is that the Pontiff, before making the announcement, which they said would be of tremendous interest for both Roman Catholics, and non-Catholics wants his archaelogical experts to gather proofs so incontrovertible that no one will be able to challenge their authenticity.