Description
Marian devotion - the veneration of the Virgin Mary - became a central theme of Church theology from early Christian times. Although it appears nowhere in the Bible, the tradition of the Assumption- Mary's bodily ascension into heaven - was accepted by many Christians as historical fact. However, some Christians continued to believe that Mary had died naturally and had been buried in a tomb in Jerusalem's valley of Jehosaphat, while others said that her final resting place was
in the Roman ruins of Ephesus in Turkey. For centuries the issue continued to divide theologians. Following the turmoil of World War II, the Vatican instigated a secret project to investigate the authenticity of the two rival tombs. Although no historical evidence was found to verify the case for either of these two sites, the Vatican's archaeologist Giovanni Benedetti claimed to have found persuasive evidence for a third and completely forgotten tomb. He was about to publish his findings when Pope Pius XII declared the Assumption dogma. As it was now official Church teaching that there was no tomb of the Virgin anywhere on Earth, Benedetti was summoned to the Vatican and told to keep quiet. He reluctantly agreed and remained silent on the issue for the rest of his life. Not only was the archaeologist a devout Catholic and feared the threat of excommunication, the instructions had come from the Holy Office- the powerful Vatican department that was once known as the Inquisition.
ISBN:9780333783221
