Saint Mundita, St Peters Church, Munich

Found this old relic in St Peters Church in Munich today. I found it to be quite morbid and very different so it is the blip for today.

Saint Munditia is venerated as a Christian martyr. Her relics are found in a side altar at St. Peter's Church (known as "Old Peter," Alter Peter) in Munich.It consists of a gilt-covered and gem-studded skeleton, located in a glass case, with false eyes in her skull, which is wrapped in netting. Jewels cover the mouth of the relic's rotten teeth. Her relics were moved to Munich from Rome in 1675 from the catacombs of Cyriaca. They were transferred to her Baroque Era-shrine was built on September 5, 1677.

The Roman document of authenticity states that she was "beheaded with a hatchet", describing the manner of her martyrdom. There is also documentation referring to the fact that she was martyred during the consulate of Andronicus and Probus, thus making her date of death 310 AD.

In 1804, her relics were concealed behind a wooden shrine, but this was removed in 1883, restoring interest in her cult. Her feast day is now celebrated annually with a High Mass and a procession with candles.

So there you go - a centuries old skeleton encrusted with jewels.

Munich is great - we went to the hofbrauhaus for dinner after wandering around all the cathedrals, buildings, and the gardens - a wonderful place to be.

The Mistress is in seventh heaven!