Ossuarys, whats not in them

[Kitty_Chan]

This is from Marys pepertual virginity thread, so we do not derail it, I brought it over here, Im sure that was ok mark? btw like the title??

Originally Posted by mark a
The Israeli Antiquities commission makes a very good study of the forged ossuary of James. If Jesus had brothers and sisters, the Orthodox or Catholic Church would have their relics just like we have all the rest of the disciples.

If Mary weren’t assumed, we have her relics also.

Ive heard of the brother of James deal. Now, what relics and by that I take it you mean like the skeleton or something?

So what disciples are in these ossuarys? which I understand to be a box or grave site of some sort. or are we heading to another thread. (we did)

Also, I remember my friend was in Germany I think it was. There were graves in a famous church of somesort or maybe it wastnt a church?? They were all inside and you walked through and looked at the masueleums or whatever they are called.

Blame yourself, ya got a cat curious.

 

[puzzleannie]

somebody posted here on another thread a link to the photo of the famouns church I think in Czech Republic, decorated with bones of deceased monks or parishioners (don’t know if they are saints, in fact I don’t recall where they got the bones).

an ossuary is a box that contains bones, that is the meaning of the word. to conserve space it was common in the ancient world, and is still done in some places, that after the body has been interred and the fleshly parts decayed and gone, the bones are gathered into a box (sometimes they are even broken to fit). since the cartilage and soft parts are gone this is relatively easy, and makes for more compact storage. sometimes those boxes were kept with families and venerated.

In some cases the graves of martyrs and other saints are well attested and recorded and we can be sure the remains inside do indeed belong to that saint. In others there is only loose tradition, with broken provenance (continuous string of documentation througout the object’s history) and errors are possible. We don’t know who is in most 1st century ossuaries, and we don’t know for sure where the graves of most early disciples and apostles are, except for the mass graves of martyrs that have been venerated since those days.

since the middle ages it has been part of the canonization process by which the Church declares sainthood for an individual, that the body be exhumed and examined to make sure it is indeed that person’s.

 

[Kitty_Chan]

Well thanks annie!

My friend didnt go to the Czech Republic, but you have me thinking. I think it was saints she saw, I will email her and ask.

so too bad Mark must have been off a bit, then again that makes sense. I think God will not allow positive physical proof anywhere on this earth for us, just not going to happen. Not to be mean just He probably wants us to trust Him.

Thats why the James would have been a big deal

Also, is this all related to keeping the remains under the alter? I know my uncle they kept them there:shrug: , until they could bury him after. something like that anyway, its foggy in my old brain.