St. Pancratius of Wil. Click to embiggen!
I just picked up a copy of Heavenly Bodies: cult treasures & spectacular saints from the catacombs. It’s a book with tons of photos of bejeweled and bedazzled relics from across Europe. Some are reclining or posed like St. Pancratius above (& he’s pretty conservative, just being in fancy armor); others are just lying in jumbled ruins but heaped with gems and gold. A lot of them have rather disturbing facial features added to the skulls in wax, as well as life-like glass eyes, and others are veiled in gauze, giving them a doll-like aspect.
This St. Pancratius was, apparently, originally buried in Roman legionary armor, but when his relics were translated (moved from a tomb or crypt to a shrine or altar), he was decked out in the latest parade armor. I couldn’t easily find any more on him — there are two other early martyrs but neither is in Switzerland, as this one is. More on the book here ; even more photos here.
That. Is. Awesome!
I am going to need to make a folder just for saint’s remains all because of this.
Well watch this space. I’m working on a Burgs & Bailiffs type supplement which will cover relics, catacombs, and sundry related topics. 🙂