Claims To Have Found Bones Of St. Peter

Chronicle (Levin), 23 August 1949, Page 5

Claims To Have Found Bones Of St. Peter

(N.Z.P.A.-

—Reuter.

Copyright )

iieceived Monday, 9 p.m, KEW YORK, August 21. St. Peter's bones are believed to have been found less than 20 f'eet below the pavement of St. Peter's Pasilica in Rome, says the Kew York Times eorrespondent in Rome. Veteran archaeologists who directed the excavations, •have taken an oath of seereey and are therefore forbidden to confirm or deny the diseovery. However, statenients made over a period of months by various persons in the Vatiean, are said to have supplied enough circumstantial evidence that the remains of St. Peter have been recovered in a hypogeum or

subterranean cel.l where tradition said he was buried. The eorrespondent ■ says the crypt was unearthed two years ago in the course of secret excavations in Vatiean grottoes. The bones are being preserved in an urn closely guarded by Pope Pius Tvvelfth hiniself, in a private chapel next to his stndy, according to Vatiean officials. They said the diseovery confirmed traditions and legends reported by historians dui-ing the past 1800 years about the life and work of the poor tisherman from Clalilee who was said to be the most f'avoured and trusted authoritative disciple of Christ. The officials elaim that the diseovery disposes conclusiveiy 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 — Pope — • is not his successor. According to officials, the reason I'or keeping the diseovery secret is that the Pontiff, before making an announcement which they said would be of tremendons interest for both Roman Catholics and non-Catholies, wants his archaeological experts to gather proofs so inc-ontrovertible that no one will be able to challenge their authenticity.