Catacomb Saints are skeletons exhumed from the Roman catacombs and installed as saintly relics in Catholic churches from the 1500s to the 1800s. They were lavishly decorated with gold, textiles and jewels to replace lost relics and to inspire devotion during the Counter-Reformation in regions such as Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Most were anonymous early Christians, sometimes believed to be martyrs, rather than canonized saints.
What are catacomb saints?
Catacomb saints were the remains of ancient Christians taken from Rome’s subterranean cemeteries and sent abroad to serve as holy relics. They were often presented in lifelike repose, dressed in embroidered garments and encrusted with precious materials, then displayed in glass reliquaries.
Catacomb saints were bodies of ancient Christians carefully exhumed in Rome and distributed as relics between the 16th and 19th centuries, typically adorned with gold and precious stones (Wikipedia).
This practice flourished when Catholic communities sought visible, tangible symbols of sanctity to strengthen local piety and parish prestige.
Why were catacomb saints decorated?
The immediate context was religious conflict. Waves of iconoclasm in the 16th and 17th centuries stripped many Catholic churches of images and relics. In response, Church authorities authorized the exhumation of remains from Rome and their installation in Catholic regions that had lost sacred objects. Adorning the skeletons signaled heavenly glory and triumph over persecution, and it restored public focal points for veneration.
Historians note that thousands of skeletons were sent from Rome to towns across Germany, Austria and Switzerland to counteract the loss of relics and to reinforce Catholic identity during the Counter-Reformation (Wikipedia; Johnson 2009).
Lavish decoration also reflected local patronage. Wealthy families and guilds often funded garments, jewels and silverwork, and parishes sometimes raised money through fees for transport, adornment and ceremonial installation, documented by scholars of the period (Johnson 2009).
How were catacomb saints chosen and authenticated?
Clergy in Rome selected skeletons from the catacombs, at times preferring remains associated with inscriptions or symbols thought to indicate martyrdom. The bones were sent with documents of authenticity and often given the name of a recognized saint or a name that resonated with a local patron family. Once received, teams of nuns, artisans and goldsmiths dressed and jeweled the remains before a public induction ritual.
- Exhumation from Roman catacombs and selection based on perceived sanctity
- Documentation and shipment to requesting churches
- Adorning the remains with textiles, metals and gemstones
- Public installation and ongoing veneration as relics
Modern historians caution that many identifications were uncertain, and the process could be influenced by local prestige. Diarmaid MacCulloch has compared the matching of saints’ names to elite patrons to the modern appetite for personalized status markers (MacCulloch 2004).
Are catacomb saints real saints?
In most cases, no in the formal canonization sense. The remains were typically anonymous early Christians, sometimes believed to be martyrs, not individuals known by name or vetted through canonization. By the 19th century, many doubtful attributions were acknowledged, some displays were dismantled, and others were stored rather than exhibited (Wikipedia).
Even so, they functioned as relics in Catholic devotional life. Their purpose was to embody the faith of the early Church and to serve as visible reminders of sanctity and perseverance under persecution, rather than to honor a specific, historically verified saint.
Where can you see catacomb saints today?
Many survive in Central Europe, especially in Bavaria, Austria and parts of Switzerland. Documented examples include reliquaries in Munich, Irsee Abbey and Kißlegg in Germany (Wikipedia). Interest has revived in recent decades through conservation projects and new scholarship.
Photographer and historian Paul Koudounaris surveyed and photographed numerous examples in his book Heavenly Bodies: Cult Treasures & Spectacular Saints from the Catacombs, bringing wider attention to their history and craftsmanship (Thames & Hudson).
Some communities have complex relationships with these relics. For instance, Rottenbuch in Bavaria auctioned its two catacomb saints in 1803, then raised funds to bring them back in 1977 (Wikipedia).
What are the debates and limitations?
Key issues include authenticity, historical context and ethics. The identities of most remains cannot be verified, and the criteria for recognizing martyrs in the catacombs were often indirect. The opulence of the displays invites debate about wealth and worship, while their historical value as artifacts of the Counter-Reformation is significant. Conservation today also balances devotional use with the need to protect fragile textiles, metals and stones documented from the 17th and 18th centuries (Johnson 2009).