They were called The Catacomb Saints – the corpses of ancient Romans unearthed from the catacombs of Rome, given ficтιтious names, and sent abroad as relics of saints from the 16th to the 18th centuries. They are lavishly decorated, as you can see below.
But why? Why they are so luxuriously adorned? Were they really buried like this, or has something else happened? Well, they weren’t saints in the strict sense, although some of them may have been early Christian martyrs. During the 15th century, Western Europe was shaken by the storm known as Beeldenstorm – the “wrath of the statue” – a term referring to a wave of religious image destruction. In these turbulent times, Catholic art and many forms of church decoration were destroyed in informal acts by crowds.
When Catholic churches were systematically stripped of their emblems, the Vatican devised an unusual solution. They ordered thousands of skeletons to be excavated from the catacombs beneath Rome and installed in towns across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Few, if any, of these corpses belonged to people of religious significance, but they were decorated as if they were saints.
These skeletons became a ghastly symbol of Catholicism in areas dominated by Protestantism. It’s unclear how effective this move was, but by the 19th century, the Catacomb Saints had become an embarrᴀssing symbol of past religious tensions.
Although considered imitations and prohibited from being sold, some priests still made money shipping the skeletons around the country for blessings.
In 1803, the secular magistrate of Rottenbuch in Bavaria auctioned off the town’s two saints. Nearly 174 years later, in 1977, the town’s residents raised funds to have them returned. By then, most of the Catacomb Saints had been forgotten and cast aside.
However, they returned to the spotlight in 2013 when Paul Koudounaris revived interest in them with his new book, where he aimed to pH๏τograph and document every one of the Catacomb Saints. It’s unclear if he succeeded, but he certainly managed to bring them back into the public eye. He explains:
“They have to be handled by people who have taken a sacred oath to the church. These people are supposed to be martyrs, and no one else is allowed to handle them. They symbolize the victory of faith and are canonized as saints in their cities. One reason they are so important is not just for their spiritual worth, which is incredible, but for their social significance.”
As time has pᴀssed, their meanings have evolved, shifting from religious symbols to symbols of civic pride. “They were meant to be miracles, strengthening people’s relationships with their towns,” Koudounaris added. “No modern-day value can be placed on these skeletons.”
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Astounding! Ancient Paintings Depict UFOs And Aliens In Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh
New Delhi: A post by a user has gone viral on a popular social networking platform. The post mentions paintings uncovered in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh caves that depict UFOs and extraterrestrials, referred to by the natives as the “Rohela People.” Accompanied by an image of a large rock painting showing a skeleton-like alien, the post adds that the caves also contain paintings of a calendar predicting future visits by the aliens in 2030 and 2046. Let us answer some questions about this “recent discovery.”
Is This A Recent Discovery?
This is the first discovery of rock paintings showing extraterrestrial creatures.
A quick look back reveals that this discovery of cave paintings is not new—it was first reported in 2014. When the paintings were first discovered, they were considered 10,000 years old. However, this claim was contradicted by French scientist Dr. Jean Clottes and rock art expert Dr. Meenakshi Dubey Pathak, who stated that based on preliminary investigations, the paintings seemed to be only 1,000 years old, according to a report in TOI.
Where Exactly Were They Found?
Hidden deep in the forests of Charama within the Kanker district of Chhattisgarh, the cave paintings are located in the villages of Chandeli and Goтιтola in the tribal Bastar region, about 130 km from the city of Raipur. They were discovered by a group of anthropologists and local hill tribes working in the area.
What Do The Paintings Look Like?
Painted with colours sourced from natural materials, the discovered paintings have been kept away from weathering agents like sunlight, moisture, and human contact, keeping them well-preserved. The paintings depict creatures similar to aliens, as seen in Hollywood movies. Beside them is another painting of a semi-circular structure with an antenna and three legs fanning out. A ‘wormhole-like’ formation is also visible in images that have surfaced.
The paintings also show figures holding objects that could be interpreted as weapons. None of the figures have clear features, with noses and mouths missing from all the human-like shapes. In a few paintings, the figures appear to be wearing spacesuits.
Earlier paintings discovered in similar sites depict animals, humans, and their daily lives. This was the first discovery of rock paintings showing extraterrestrial creatures, some even donning helmets and descending from the skies.
What Do Archaeologists Say?
In 2014, archaeologist JR Bhagat, in an interview with TOI, suggested that ancient civilizations may have imagined or seen beings from other planets. To uncover the mystery of these paintings, the state culture and archaeological department planned to seek help from NASA and ISRO.
That same year, Dr. Clottes and Dr. Pathak refuted this claim, stating that the paintings were simply rock art and had nothing to do with aliens. They explained that the paintings were worshiped by locals because they depicted Lord Rama and Sita, and that no further claims could be made without scientific evidence. They added that the ‘alien-like helmets’ viewed on the figures were, in fact, headdresses worn by local tribes. Similar paintings, lacking clear outlines, were present in many other places in Chhattisgarh as well. The similarities arose from common artistic conventions, where people drew rough ideas of figures.
As for the possibility of aliens visiting Earth, Clottes remarked that even if they had, they would not be visible or audible to humans. Having travelled across millions of galaxies and solar systems, their wavelengths would be different from ours.
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A Must Read TODAY!
Mystery of Ancient UFO Discovered Deep In Giant Cave
An astonishing discovery has been made in the vast and remote desert of Egypt! Recent explorations of this seemingly barren landscape have revealed remarkable treasures, sparking awe and fascination among adventurers, historians, and archaeologists alike. The arid desert, once thought to hold little more than sand and stone, has proven to be a treasure trove of historical artefacts and ancient wonders, providing glimpses into lost civilizations and their rich cultural heritage.
