Years later the wooden box, with its contents, was uncovered in a Vatican storeroom and handed over to one Professor Correnti for evaluation. Aside from the bones, he found some dozen small shreds of decaying fabric, colored a washed-out reddish-brown "in which still glinted purplish highlights and gold threads....Led to believe that the graffiti wall cache held a varied mix of individuals, Correnti was mildly surprised when he could find no duplication among the bones spread before him on the table, duplication such as had been quickly evident with the red wall bones" (ibid., p. 106).
As Correnti continued to examine the bones one very curious factor leapt right out at him -- every part of the skeleton was represented EXCEPT FOR THE FEET! "Only THE FEET, from the ankles down, were ENTIRELY MISSING. Not a single one of the many small bones to be found in the human foot could be seen on the table" (The Bones of Saint Peter, p. 107). How curious! There has been little or no comment from the Catholic Church on this peculiarity of the graffiti wall cache. That these bones may have been lost because of their small size is no answer because many bones from the fingers of a similar size are present -- showing how much care and devotion was used with these relics.
So WHAT is the answer? WHY are all the bones from the ankles down missing?
Because when SIMON MAGUS fell from the tower he smashed his feet so badly that he died "under the hands of unskilful physicians" when they attempted to amputate his feet! These remains, found in the graffiti wall cavity, WERE THOSE OF SIMON MAGUS -- NOT the apostle Peter!
Professor Correnti determined that the bones belonged to a man between 60 and 70 years of age, about five feet seven inches tall and of heavy build -- certainly the age range of Simon Magus when he died.
Another interesting fact that came to light was that four of five of the larger bones showed an unnatural staining on their intact extremeties. "The color," comments Walsh, "was a dark, uncertain red, in spots tending to reddish-brown, the same as could be seen in the shreds of fabric found in the wooden box. All these bones, it appeared, at some time after dissolution of the flesh, had been TAKEN FROM THE EARTH and WRAPPED IN A PURPLISH, GOLD-THREADED CLOTH" (ibid., p. 107).
As well as the staining, there was soil still adhering to the bones, indicating that the body must first have been buried in the ground. Then, at some later date, the bones had been wrapped in the purple cloth and deposited in the graffiti wall. From WHAT grave had these decayed bones been lifted and WHY were they found in the graffiti wall and not in the grave where they belonged? And WHO was responsible? John Walsh inadvertently answers the last question when he says -- "
But why, in the first place, had the bones been moved from the grave to the wall, and who was responsible? Constantine?" (ibid., p. 112)
...
In other words, the bones found in the graffiti wall -- those of SIMON MAGUS -- were originally lying in the central grave! Simon Magus was the original occupant of the empty grave explored by Engelbert Kirschbaum. So HOW did they come to be found in the graffiti wall? WHY were they moved?
As mentioned before, Emperor Constantine, in his efforts to stabilize the empire, decided to MERGE the prevalent PAGAN mystery religions (which he himself actually followed) with that of Christianity; and to keep both parties happy he built his new basilica OVER THE LOCATION OF SIMON MAGUS' GRAVE, centering it under the high altar. Then he MOVED THE REMAINS OF PETER from their resting place on the Appian Way, placed them in a bronze casket which, in turn, was placed in the central grave where Simon Magus lay. To make room for the casket, the remains of Simon Magus were carefully wrapped in the purple cloth and deposited in the cache in the graffiti wall to the side of the grave! Brilliant! The followers of the pagan mystery religions could worship in the basilica confident that their PETER, or INTERPRETER of the mysteries was buried below, while the Christians (who by this time were moving away from "the faith once delivered") could worship there knowing that the remains of the apostle Peter were also buried below! (
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