The tomb of St Peter: new documentary challenges Catholic tradition

A new documentary, "The Secret of the Twelve Disciples", manages to put a dint in one of the pillars of the Roman Catholic tradition. The documentary features academics who accuse the Church of fabricating its connection with the apostle Peter, in order to create the impression of an unbroken link to Christ.

The Roman Catholic version of events, has St Peter ending up in Rome, where he was allegedly crucified and buried. The documentary describes this belief as "a conspiracy of faith".

There is no scientific basis whatever for the claim that the apostle made it to Rome, and even less proof that he was crucified and buried there. The Catholic Church expects its adherents to go along with this version of events based upon received knowledge, what some Catholic theologians refer to as the "great weight" of tradition.

The Catholic claims become even more suspect when you consider that in 1939, the Vatican stage managed what can only be described an archaeological circus. Pius Xll ordered that an excavation be undertaken by the archaeologist, Antonio Ferrua. However the work was supervised by an associate of the Pope, Monsignor Ludwig Kaas and the workforce used for the dig was none other than the sampietrini, Vatican City workmen.

The eventual report turned out to be be a source of controversy. Worst of all there was no trace of St Peter. Pius Xll then enlisted the services of Margherita Guarducci, a staunch Catholic and classical epi-graphist.

Remarkably Ms Guarducci discovered archaeological wonders that had somehow escaped the attention of Antonio Ferrua. In the jumble of graffiti on Peter's alleged tomb she divined no less than "a mystic cryptography". She even came up with the bones of the apostle, and after some scientific tests (which she arranged), concluded that the bones had been wrapped a cloth of royal purple stitched with gold.

Not surprisingly, Guarducci's findings were greeted with harsh criticism from the scholarly community, if not outright hoots of derision.

The research discussed in the documentary, makes it more probable that St Peter died in Jerusalem. An ossuary has been discovered bearing the inscription Shimon Bar Jonah, the Hebrew name for Peter. Catholic theologians are incensed by this claim. John Medlin of the Latin Mass Society, refers to it as "intellectually challenged". Others have described it as "outlandish" and a "smear".

Maybe there is good reason they are overreacting. The Church has long been in the business of revisionism in order to bring the Christian revelation and message in line with Catholic priorities. However the scientific community today is less intimidated by the authority of the Church, and old claims are coming under new scrutiny.