Ken Jeremiah

Christian Mummification

An Interpretative History of the Preservation of Saints, Martyrs and Others

• Broschiertes Buch

Produktbeschreibung

A mention of mummification immediately brings to mind the ancient Egyptians--but the Roman Catholic Church has long used the practice to preserve notable members of its faith. In Italy alone, more than 300 preserved bodies appear on display in churches and cathedrals--the mummified remains of saints, priests, martyrs, and other high-ranking Roman Catholic officials. This study explores the history of Roman Catholic mummification, which continues to this day in the use of New Kingdom Egyptian mummification procedures on popes. It explores various types of mummies, the connections between the Catholic Church and Egyptian religious practices, the treatment of the dead by other faiths, and the veritable cult that has arisen in Italy surrounding the saints whose bodies are preserved. By examining this unusual practice from both scientific and cultural perspectives, the book sheds light on a relatively unstudied aspect of the Roman Catholic faith.

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Produktdetails

• Verlag: McFarland
• Seitenzahl: 274
• Erscheinungstermin: 12. April 2012
• Englisch
• Abmessung: 254mm x 178mm x 15mm
• Gewicht: 521g
• ISBN-13: 9780786465194
• ISBN-10: 0786465190
• Artikelnr.: 34445125

Autorenporträt

Ken Jeremiah has written extensively about spiritual and religious phenomena. He lives in Narragansett, Rhode Island, and runs tour groups to Japan, Italy and other countries yearly.

Inhaltsangabe

Table of Contents
Acknowledgments     
Preface     
Introduction     
I. World Mummification
1. Mummification and Critical Thinking     
2. The Science of Mummification     
3. Natural Mummies     
4. Artificial Mummies     
5. Other Forms of Mummification     
6. Relic-Bodies           
7. Death and the Unknown: The Allure of Mummies     
II. Mummies in Italy
8. Critical Thinking, Self-Reflection, and Mummy Studies     
9. The Roman Catacombs     
10. The Cult of the Martyrs     
11. The Catacombs in Palermo     
12. The Chapel of the Dead and the Skull Cathedral     
13. Mummies of Ferentillo and San Domenico Maggiore; Papal Funerals     
14. Polytheistic Elements of the Faith     
III. Saints and Relics
15. The Enigmatic Catholic Saint     
16. The History of Saint Making     
17. Stigmata and Other Miracles     
18. Modern Saints     
19. Asceticism in the Catholic Faith     
20. The Importance of Physical Remains     
21. The Cult of the Dead     
IV. Incorruptible Bodies
22. The Incorruptibles     
23. Miraculous Preservation     
24. The Preserved Bodies in Rome, Assisi and Mantova     
25. Mummies in Florence, Naples and Sicily     
26. Mummies in Other Parts of Italy     
27. The Importance of the Incorruptibles     
28. Preservation in Christianity     
V. Influences from Other Cultures
29. Mummification in Roman Society     
30. The Old Testament     
31. Historical Evidence     
32. Immaculate Conception and the Resurrection     
33. Mithra: The Zoroastrian God of the Sun     
34. Pythagoras and Dionysus     
35. The Cult of Osiris     
VI. The Egyptian Influence
36. Egyptian Influences in Italy     
37. Alexandria and Coptic Christianity     
38. Early Egyptian Religious Beliefs     
39. Burial Practices     
40. The Holy Trinity: Isis, Horus and Osiris     
41. Religious Rituals and Practices     
42. Integration and Assimilation     
VII. The Reasons Behind Christian Mummification
43. The Bodily Preservation of Jesus     
44. The Rapture     
45. Early Concepts of the Soul     
46. The Power Inherent in Bodily Remains     
47. Foreign Influences     
48. Enduring Virtuosity     
49. Symbols of Life and Death     
Appendix: Locations of Select Mummies or Bodily Relics in Italy     
Chapter Notes     
Bibliography     
Index