Definitely, Maybe.

I was moved as pilgrims from all over the world filled St. Peter's Square with worship. The bells of the Basilica di San Pietro rang across the Vatican. Congregants sang and the Pope offered his blessing. It was flat-out awesome.

Michelangelo was 71 when the Pope directed him to devise the cupola. (So much for the notion of early retirement.) He designed the church's dome with 430 feet between the floor of the cathedral and its top. Directly under the dome, under the altar, 23 feet under the marble floor, rest the bones of St. Peter. 

Really? Are they the bones of Peter?

Definitely, maybe.

The traditional site of his tomb was sealed when Old St. Peter's was built on it in A.D. 326. It remained sealed until 1940, when it was opened for archaeological study. And (you guessed it) bones were found, dating back to the 1st Century, of a robust man who died at an old age. His body was wrapped in expensive cloth. Various inscriptions and graffiti in the tomb indicate 2nd and 3rd Century visitors thought this was Peter's burial place.  

So, is it actually Peter's tomb?  

Definitely, maybe. 

Hey. Do you want to disagree with the Pope?

Galatians 2:7-8  -  (Paul)  "It was soon evident that God had entrusted me with the same message to the non-Jews as Peter had been preaching to the Jews. Recognizing that my calling had been given by God, James, Peter, and John—the pillars of the church—shook hands with me and Barnabas, assigning us to a ministry to the non-Jews, while they continued to be responsible for reaching out to the Jews." 

Comments

[J Aquila]

Hope you and Sheila are enjoying the trip so far. Praying for your time in Rome. Looking forward to all the posts.