Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: sarcophag

The church of the former Murbach Abbey was constructed around 1150 got consecrated 1216 and dedicated to Saint Léger. The naves got knocked down 1738, to give room for a baroque church, that never got built. Since 1760 it serves as a parish church, what did not prevent it from getting devasted by rioters during the French Revolution. So all that left is the transept - and the choir. The place of the former naves, behind the facade, is a cemetery today. Inside -looking to the choir. The two rows of windows (totalling 6 windows) is pretty uncommon for this time. Seen behind the pulpit is an old sarcophag containing the relics of the seven martyrs, local monks killed by the Hungarians, when they raided the abbey in 926.

Pontianus was a young Christian of Spoleto, who at the age of 18, was condemned to death and beheaded on 14 January 175. His body was buried in the outside the city walls. Later an oratory was built over his tomb. He became - and still is - the patron saint of Spoleto. A convent developed that was described within the 10th century as "cenobium beatissimi martyris Pontiani; sacratissimum cymiterium". Benedictine nuns lived here upto 1810, when the monastery was suppressed by the Napoleonic government. Mid 1900 century the buildings were owned by the commune - and sold to a private investor in 1899. Meanwhile the basilica and the monastery is operated by a community of Canonesses Regular. The church of today was built between the 11th and the 13th century. It still has the Romanesque Facade with a central oculus surrounded by the symbols of the Four Evangelists, but the interior got remodeled in a Baroque style in 1788. Most important for me, was the crypt of San Ponziano. As the relics of San Ponziano (and maybe more martyrs) were kept here. So there are a couple of old sarcophagi. This one may be the oldest. Here are the same symbols that I had found carved onto sarcophagi in the crypt of the Concattedrale in Narni and in the Abbazia di San Felice. In 966 Bishop Balderic of Utrecht travelled to Rome. On his way, he visited places, from which he obtained relics for the for churches of his diocese. Here he obtained one of Pontianus' arms. So Pontianus is patron saint not only of Poleto, but as well of Utrecht.

A legend tells, that where the abbey is, about 2 kms north of Giano dell'Umbria, Saint Felix (= San Felice), first bishop of Massa, had a small oratory built in the early 4th century. After he became a martyr during the Diocletianic Persecution, his followers buried the saint here. Probably already during the 8th century a convent existed around the tomb. The church dates to the 12th century, erected when this was a Benedictinian abbey. Today the abbey is used by the "Missionari del Preziosissimo Sangue" ("Missionaries of the Precious Blood"). This society was founded here by Saint Gaspar del Bufalo in 1815. The crypt, below the choir, has a nave and two aisles. A crypt existed here probably already under the preceding church. This sarcophag may have been already in the center of the early oratory, containing the remains of Saint Felix. I had seen the same symbols carved onto the sarcophag of Saint Giovenale in the crypt of the Concattedrale in Narni..

Alyscamps (from Latin "allissi campi" = Champs-Élysées or Elysian Fields) was a Roman necropole next to the "Via Aurelia" just outside the walls of the Christian martyrs have been buried here, so it not only became a center of pilgrimage, but as well was used as a burial ground untile medieval times. There are still hundreds of sarcophags all around, though the most valuable ones are in the local museum meanwhile. The church of Saint Honoratus, built on pre-roman foundations 12th and 13th century, but has lots of addons and "renovations". This was a gathering point for pilgrims walking the Via Tolosana. The "Codex Calixtus" from 1139 mentions the tomb of Saint Honoratus. The Alyscamp, we see today, is much smaller than it was before, as the building of the railroad in the 19th. century cut off the southern part (nowadays a ruined industry areal). Most of the sarcophags and the walls of the church are covered with carved graffitis. A graffiti on one of the many old sarcophags outside the church St. Honroratus. I cannot read the two initials (or maybe symbols) in the middle. Below them the year 1937 - and on top a ship, with two masts, two chimneys, a long row of bull´s eyes and a large flag.

Alyscamps (from Latin "allissi campi" = Champs-Élysées or Elysian Fields) was a Roman necropole next to the "Via Aurelia" just outside the walls of the Christian martyrs have been buried here, so it not only became a center of pilgrimage, but as well was used as a burial ground untile medieval times. There are still hundreds of sarcophags all around, though the most valuable ones are in the local museum meanwhile. The church of Saint Honoratus, built on pre-roman foundations 12th and 13th century, but has lots of addons and "renovations". This was a gathering point for pilgrims walking the Via Tolosana. The "Codex Calixtus" from 1139 mentions the tomb of Saint Honoratus. The Alyscamp, we see today, is much smaller than it was before, as the building of the railroad in the 19th. century cut off the southern part (nowadays a ruined industry areal). Most of the sarcophags and the walls of the church are covered with carved graffitis. A graffiti on one of the outer walls of the church St. Honroratus. Unfortunately the name (top row) is lost. Somebody erased it. The graffiti was carved in by a "soldier" in "1869". Then there is "99- de Ligne", what is the "99e régiment d'infanterie de ligne", a famous regiment, created in (german) Zweibruecken (Deux-Ponts) in 1757 and at that time named "Régiment royal Deux-Ponts". In 1780 this regiment was sent to North America, to support the Americans in their fight for independence, and so took part in the Battle of Yorktown in 1781. Here you´ll find much more: english: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Deux-Ponts_Regiment french: fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/99e_r%C3%A9giment_d%27infanterie_de... german: de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Deux-Ponts

Alyscamps (from Latin "allissi campi" = Champs-Élysées or Elysian Fields) was a Roman necropole next to the "Via Aurelia" just outside the walls of the Christian martyrs have been buried here, so it not only became a center of pilgrimage, but as well was used as a burial ground untile medieval times. There are still hundreds of sarcophags all around, though the most valuable ones are in the local museum meanwhile. The church of Saint Honoratus, built on pre-roman foundations 12th and 13th century, but has lots of addons and "renovations". This was a gathering point for pilgrims walking the Via Tolosana. The "Codex Calixtus" from 1139 mentions the tomb of Saint Honoratus. The Alyscamp, we see today, is much smaller than it was before, as the building of the railroad in the 19th. century cut off the southern part (nowadays a ruined industry areal). Most of the sarcophags and the walls of the church are covered with carved graffitis. Near to one of the entrances of St. Honoratus , there is a horizontal anchor and a horseshoe. The horseshoe may connected to medieval pilgrimage.

Alyscamps (from Latin "allissi campi" = Champs-Élysées or Elysian Fields) was a Roman necropole next to the "Via Aurelia" just outside the walls. Christian martyrs have been buried here, so it not only became a centre of pilgrimage but as well was used as a burial ground until medieval times. There are still hundreds of sarcophags all around, though the most valuable ones are in the local museum meanwhile. The church of Saint Honoratus, built on pre-romanesque foundations 12th and 13th century, but has lots of addons and "renovations". This was a major meeting point for pilgrims walking the Via Tolosana. the "Codex Calixtus" from 1139 mentions the tomb of Saint Honoratus. The Alyscamp, we see today, is much smaller than it was before, as the construction of the railroad in the 19th. century cut off a big part (nowadays a ruined industry areal). Most of the sarcophags and the walls of the church are covered with carved graffitis. In 1888 Vincent van Gogh and Paul Gauguin have painted here side by side. Three paintings of Alyscamps still exist.

...where we found one sarcophag in each crypt. Probably of roman origin, now the shrines of the relics of Saint Leocard and his friend Saint Lucre.....