NB: This post, and the road trip that I took, were entirely inspired by Paul Koudounaris’ book Heavenly Bodies: Cult Treasure and Spectacular Saints from the Catacombs (2013, Thames & Hudson).
If you have visited any of the (in)famous catacombs in and around Rome, you may have noticed that unlike the Catacombs of Paris, they are noticeably devoid of any human remains. It was my understanding that the bodies of saints and martyrs that had once been laid to rest in these catacombs had later been buried. I only recently discovered, after devouring Heavenly Bodies that these decorated ‘Catacomb Saints’ had ben disinterred and rehoused in Catholic churches across German-speaking Europe (think Germany, Austria & Switzerland).
In the first half of 2019, I spent a week with my DSLR and a rental car attempting to see as many of these Catacomb Saints as I was able. The following are the details of the churches I visited in order of the number of skeletons I was able to see/photograph – not in the chronological order that I visited them.
Stiftsbasilika Waldsassen
Address: Basilikapl. 6, 95652 Waldsassen, Germany
Opening Hours: 7am to 8pm daily
Entry Costs: Free (donations accepted)
Skeletons Displayed: 10
Photography Allowed: Yes
Waldsassen is the OG of Catacomb Saints. It has by far the most, and some of the best, skeletons displayed of any church I know about. If you were only able to make it to one site to try to look at some of these Holy Bodies, this would be my recommendation.
Church of St. Verena, Rot an der Rot
Address: 88430 Rot an der Rot, Germany
Entry Costs: Free (donations accepted)
Skeletons Displayed: 5
Photography Allowed: Yes
The catacomb saints at St. Verena, at some point in history, were deemed too morbid for public viewing and subsequently covered with wax to make them look more animated. The result is no less morbid, but certainly more bizarre.
Ottobeuren Abbey, Ottobeuren
Address: Sebastian-Kneipp-Straße 1, 87724 Ottobeuren, Germany
Entry Costs: Free (donations accepted)
Skeletons Displayed: 4
Photography Allowed: Yes
Despite having far fewer catacomb saints on display than Waldsassen Basilica, Ottobeuren Abbey was a close rival for the church I enjoyed visiting the most. The four saints are displayed in altars on the four corners where the nave meets the crossing. There are steps providing public access to the altars, allowing you to get as close as you like to the saints, with only the protective glass between you.
St. Johannes Evangelist, Ursberg
Address: Klosterhof 6, 86513 Ursberg, Germany
Entry Costs: Free (donations accepted)
Skeletons Displayed: 3
Photography Allowed: Yes
St. Johannes Evangelist is home to three catacomb saints, including St. Caritas, notable because she is, well, female, where most catacomb saints are male skeletons. Because, you know, the patriarchy.
Saint Emmeram’s Abbey, Regensburg
Address: Emmeramspl. 3, 93047 Regensburg, Germany
Entry Costs: Free (donations accepted)
Skeletons Displayed: 2
Photography Allowed: Yes
Not dissimilar to the wax covered faces of Rot an der Rot, the skulls in Regensburg have been covered with a heavy gauze, which has then been embellished with buttons and golden threads.
Church of St. Magnus, Bad Schussenried
Address: Klosterhof 9, 88427 Bad Schussenried, Germany
Entry Costs: Free (donations accepted)
Skeletons Displayed: 2
Photography Allowed: Yes
Unlike the wax faces on the catacomb saints in Rot an der Rot, the wax faces in Bad Schussenried are part of the original decoration. The thick wax is complemented by a wig made of tightly curled and incredibly fine gold wire. Both saints displayed in Bad Schussenried have wax coated faces and the jury’s still out on which one is more terrifying.
Parish church of Sts. Gallus and Ulrich, Kißlegg
Address: Herrenstraße 9, 88353 Kißlegg, Germany
Entry Costs: Free (donations accepted)
Skeletons Displayed: 2
Photography Allowed: Yes
The Parish church of Sts. Gallus and Ulrich is home to two catacomb saint who are wrapped in a distinctive pattern of buratto lace, which is not seen elsewhere. This has lead to a theory that the lace is a handwork of the local Franciscan nuns.
Pfarrkirche St. Martin, Aulendorf
Address: Hauptstraße 31, 88326 Aulendorf, Germany
Entry Costs: Free (donations accepted)
Skeletons Displayed: 2
Photography Allowed: Yes – but the saints are displayed high on an alter which is not accessible to the public.
Basilika St. Michael, Mondsee
Address: Wredepl. 3, 5310 Mondsee, Austria
Entry Costs: Free (donations accepted)
Skeletons Displayed: 5
Photography Allowed: Yes – but the saints are displayed high on an altar which is obscured by a large, purple, satin cross and is not accessible to the public.
“… a shrine at the top of a huge gold and silver reliquary that fronts the church’s 18-metre-high altar, where he [abbot Conrad II] remains to this day. Below him and flanking him on either side are the four authentic Katakombenheilgen, topped by triangular wedges of gilded wood containing the fragmentary remains of forty other saints…” (Koudounaris, 2013)
This was the best photo I managed to get, and I was able to see precious little more in person. Disappointing, because from that description it sounds magnificent, sans-crucifix.
If you know of the location of any catacomb saints, please contact me through the blog or via my Instagram account (@lost.lara).
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