Remains of St. Paul May Have Been Found

[wiggsfly]

ROME Dec 6, 2006 (AP)— Vatican archaeologists have unearthed a sarcophagus believed to contain the remains of the Apostle Paul that had been buried beneath Rome's second largest basilica.

http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=2704362

Pretty cool stuff if you ask me....

 

[Ave Maria]

Wow that's amazing. Now we can have relics for St. Paul.

 

[fishon]

I doubt it. And if true, so what? It is the words of Paul, not his bones that matter. People would just make his bones into an idiol.
fishon

 

[platzapS]

They haven't opened the sarcophagus yet. I'm interested to see what's inside. I know it's probably unlikely, but I really hope there's some books or letters or notes or something with him. This could be a major historical find.

 

[B16uRock]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]St Paul burial place 'confirmed'[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Vatican City, Dec. 06, 2006 (CNA) - Vatican archaeologists say they have conclusive evidence that a Roman tomb, located in St Paul Outside the Walls, the largest church in Rome after St Peter's, belonged to St. Paul.

The tomb has been long-revered by tradition as that of St. Paul; however, archaeologist Giorgio Filippi says that scientific evidence now backs up the evidence of tradition that the tomb belongs to the great Saint of the Early Church.

Filippi said his team had found a Roman sarcophagus "exactly underneath the epigraph Paulo Apostolo Mart (Paul the Apostle and Martyr) at the base of the cathedral's main altar," reported ANSA.

"It has a hole on top through which pieces of cloth could be pushed, touching the relic and becoming holy in their turn," Filippi reportedly said.

Paul was a Roman Jew, born in Tarsus, in modern-day Turkey, who started out trying to fight Christianity but later converted after seeing a shining light on the road to Damascus.

The Saint, who called himself the Apostle to the Gentiles, was a great traveler and writer. His 14 letters, which form part of the New Testament, are largely written to churches that he had founded or visited.
[/FONT]

 

[Rochir]

Now we can have relics for St. Paul.

Praying at the grave of a great man I can understand, but what Catholics and Orthodox do with relics - to me that is bordering idol worship!

 

[JoyJuice]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]St Paul burial place 'confirmed'[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Vatican City, Dec. 06, 2006 (CNA) - Vatican archaeologists say they have conclusive evidence that a Roman tomb, located in St Paul Outside the Walls, the largest church in Rome after St Peter's, belonged to St. Paul.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The tomb has been long-revered by tradition as that of St. Paul; however, archaeologist Giorgio Filippi says that scientific evidence now backs up the evidence of tradition that the tomb belongs to the great Saint of the Early Church. [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Filippi said his team had found a Roman sarcophagus "exactly underneath the epigraph Paulo Apostolo Mart (Paul the Apostle and Martyr) at the base of the cathedral's main altar," reported ANSA.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]"It has a hole on top through which pieces of cloth could be pushed, touching the relic and becoming holy in their turn," Filippi reportedly said.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Paul was a Roman Jew, born in Tarsus, in modern-day Turkey, who started out trying to fight Christianity but later converted after seeing a shining light on the road to Damascus.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The Saint, who called himself the Apostle to the Gentiles, was a great traveler and writer. His 14 letters, which form part of the New Testament, are largely written to churches that he had founded or visited.[/FONT]

So they think it's him because of the hole?

 

[BlessedMan]

Oh no...this is horrible!! So all those letters Paul wrote about this guy name Jesus might actually have been fact??? What are all the people that claim that Jesus never really existed going to do about this? I'm sure they're working on "another" plan right now...oh wait...maybe they're already successful, because i haven't heard this story reported at all. Very cool find!

 

[MoodyBlue]

Oh no...this is horrible!! So all those letters Paul wrote about this guy name Jesus might actually have been fact??? What are all the people that claim that Jesus never really existed going to do about this? I'm sure they're working on "another" plan right now...oh wait...maybe they're already successful, because i haven't heard this story reported at all. Very cool find!

How does digging up this sarcophagus prove to sceptics that Jesus existed?

 

[eldermike]

First, we can't prove anything, even Paul knew that. He always thanked those that lived by faith. In fact we all walk by faith and not by sight.

But with that said: The lost man still must deal with Paul's claims.
1) Did Paul exist? yes is the most likely answer, the only answer with evidence.
2) Did Paul claim to meet Jesus on a road to Damascus? Yes is what the evidence of scripture shows.
3) Did Paul endure in his faith until death, preaching Christ crucified as the only way to God? Yes is what the evidence of scripture shows.

Those that have faith don't need Paul's remains, those that don't have faith have enough to deal with already.

 

[Avatar]

Leave him buried.

 

[OhhJim]

I suspect he doesn't mind.

 

[jamesrwright3]

How does digging up this sarcophagus prove to sceptics that Jesus existed?

Because if you read Paul's letters,he indicates that he was in close contact with other members of the church who had seen Christ.
Sure, Paul could be making everything up, but i don't find that to be likely since very few reputable historians believe Christ didn't exist

 

[TheProfessional]

So, Christ lived, Paul converted and now we have his bones, so what. I fail to see how this proves that Jesus was the son of God, and the Savior of humanity.

 

[JoyJuice]

If there are bones inside, I take it they opened it and found a decapitated body as per tradition?

 

[BlessedMan]

So, Christ lived, Paul converted and now we have his bones, so what. I fail to see how this proves that Jesus was the son of God, and the Savior of humanity.

That's not the point being made here...the point being made is there are skeptics that doubt that Jesus ever even existed because of their believed lack of historical evidence. This is just another piece of the puzzle to prove his existence.

Nothing on this earth my friend is going to "prove that Jesus was the son of Go, and the Savior of humanity"...you'll figure all that out moments after your soul leaves your body. It's about faith...

 

[TheProfessional]

That's not the point being made here...the point being made is there are skeptics that doubt that Jesus ever even existed because of their believed lack of historical evidence. This is just another piece of the puzzle to prove his existence.

Ok, but there aren't many people that doupt Jesus's existence, anyways.

 

[JPPT1974]

It does show that Jesus had
And has and always will live
Because He exists in our hearts and souls
Even if we didn't see Him or know Him back then.