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The Fisherman's Tomb: The True Story of the Vatican's Secret Search
A Texas oilman. A brilliant female archaeologist. An unknown world underneath the Vatican.
In 1939, a team of workers beneath the Vatican unearthed an early Christian grave. This surprising discovery launched a secret quest that would last decades — a quest to discover the long-lost burial place of the Apostle Peter.
From earliest times, Christian tradition held that Peter — a lowly fisherman from Galilee, whom Christ made leader of his Church — was executed in Rome by Emperor Nero and buried on Vatican Hill. But his tomb had been lost to history. Now, funded anonymously by a wealthy American, a small army of workers embarked on the dig of a lifetime.
The incredible, sometimes shocking, story of the 75-year search and its key players has never been fully told — until now. The quest would pit one of the 20th century’s most talented archaeologists — a woman — against top Vatican insiders. The Fisherman’s Tomb is a story of the triumph of faith and genius against all odds.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
John O’Neill is a lawyer and #1 New York Times bestselling author. He has spent much of his life visiting and researching early Christian sites. He is a 1967 graduate of the Naval Academy, a former law clerk to Supreme Court Chief Justice William Rehnquist, and senior partner at a large international law firm.
In 1939, a team of workers beneath the Vatican unearthed an early Christian grave. This surprising discovery launched a secret quest that would last decades — a quest to discover the long-lost burial place of the Apostle Peter.
From earliest times, Christian tradition held that Peter — a lowly fisherman from Galilee, whom Christ made leader of his Church — was executed in Rome by Emperor Nero and buried on Vatican Hill. But his tomb had been lost to history. Now, funded anonymously by a wealthy American, a small army of workers embarked on the dig of a lifetime.
The incredible, sometimes shocking, story of the 75-year search and its key players has never been fully told — until now. The quest would pit one of the 20th century’s most talented archaeologists — a woman — against top Vatican insiders. The Fisherman’s Tomb is a story of the triumph of faith and genius against all odds.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
John O’Neill is a lawyer and #1 New York Times bestselling author. He has spent much of his life visiting and researching early Christian sites. He is a 1967 graduate of the Naval Academy, a former law clerk to Supreme Court Chief Justice William Rehnquist, and senior partner at a large international law firm.
181 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 27, 2018
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John O'Neill
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 248 reviews
May 11, 2018
Author John O'Neill wasn't going to write another book. One bestseller was enough for him...and you really can't blame him.
However, when he was diagnosed with four distinct types of cancer and then contracted MRSA during treatment, he made a prayer and a promise that he would share the amazing story he had if he didn't die.
I can't help but say a prayer of thanksgiving, because when I picked up The Fisherman's Tomb, my free time was completely consumed with turning the pages.
O'Neill had a pretty intriguing story, but there's as much art in his storytelling talent as there is in the collection of facts he started with.
The story takes place over the course of 75 years, and it involves a rich Texas oilman who gives the equivalent of a blank check to the Vatican. It involves a brilliant scientist for whom being right isn't enough. It also involves a lot of secrecy, a lot of mystery, and a lot of history.
Spoiler alert: They find Peter's tomb. But that's not even the most interesting part of the story, honestly. I'll be sharing this book, because it has such a broad appeal: If you love a good story, this is a book that meets that need.
The only warning I have is to block off some time. You won't want to put it down.
However, when he was diagnosed with four distinct types of cancer and then contracted MRSA during treatment, he made a prayer and a promise that he would share the amazing story he had if he didn't die.
I can't help but say a prayer of thanksgiving, because when I picked up The Fisherman's Tomb, my free time was completely consumed with turning the pages.
O'Neill had a pretty intriguing story, but there's as much art in his storytelling talent as there is in the collection of facts he started with.
The story takes place over the course of 75 years, and it involves a rich Texas oilman who gives the equivalent of a blank check to the Vatican. It involves a brilliant scientist for whom being right isn't enough. It also involves a lot of secrecy, a lot of mystery, and a lot of history.
Spoiler alert: They find Peter's tomb. But that's not even the most interesting part of the story, honestly. I'll be sharing this book, because it has such a broad appeal: If you love a good story, this is a book that meets that need.
The only warning I have is to block off some time. You won't want to put it down.
May 16, 2018
Firstly--This is a great read. If you love archeology, true-life mysteries, Roman history, or Christian history you must read it. For the rest of us, it's also a great read!
I am not a Catholic, but I am a Christian. I don't remember ever hearing about the discovery of Peter's remains under the basilica in Rome. The facts of this book might explain why.
Pope Pius XI dies February 10, 1939. "In the middle of the month, an excavation team begins to dig beneath the basilica for both a grave for the deceased pope and a small chapel to surround it. Because the area below the Vatican was only 6 feet high, they had to dig down. In the process, a workman fell through the floor. Very quickly he found himself in an amazing and unknown world, with bright mural paintings of flowers, birds, vases of fruit, idyllic landscapes, cupids and more. Vatican officials rapidly determined that the paintings were Roman funeral murals from the height of Rome's power during the first and second centuries. Digging further, the workmen discovered the remains of the daughter of a Roman consul. Then they encountered the most amazing find of all: the much simpler grave of a woman from the mid-second century, with Christian inscriptions on her tomb.
This was an amazing discovery. During its first few centuries, Christianity was a secret, illegal cult in the Roman Empire, and Christians were subject to terrible waves of persecution. Few, if any Christian artifacts survive from this early period."
This reminded the soon to be Pope Pius XII of a legend regarding Peter's death. Christian tradition held the belief that Peter went to Rome, was crucified by Nero around A.D. 66, and then his body was left on Vatican Hill. Could Peter have been buried beneath the basilica for all these years? He needed to find out and he needed money.
He then enlisted the assistance of wealthy Houston oilman George Strake. Strake was among the largest single donors to the Catholic church in the world who always requested that his donations remain anonymous. They asked Strake to virtually write a blank check for the funding of this expedition. And so with WWII beginning, so too, did the expedition.
Instead of calling in experts, because they wanted to keep the tomb secret, other church officials headed by Ludwig Kaas and Antonio Ferrua were allowed to lead the investigation. Ferrua hamstringed Kaas and dug with reckless abandon, to the detriment of many artifacts. Conferring with sacred texts, the bones of Peter were thought to be buried under Gaius' Trophy, so when bones were found there they were declared Peter's. The story was kept silent until 1949 as the excavation team had reported that very few other references to Peter could be found and the Vatican didn't want to release information that was incorrect.
In 1952, one of the first non-Vatican employees to tour the excavation was Margherita Guarducci. She was a renowned Epigraphist and Archeologist. Upon entering the Necropolis, she was horrified by the team's evident failure to follow basic archeological procedures. She reported this to Pius XII and in a surprising turn, he immediately hired her to take over excavations rather than appoint Anotonio Ferrua.
Guarducci worked 25 years in the Necropolis and her findings are simply amazing. Ferrua continuously contradicted those findings publicly because he could never stomach her being chosen over him and continuously referred to her as an overzealous woman.
It wasn't until March of 2013, after both the deaths of Ferrua and Guarducci, that Vatican officials authenticated Guarducci's find as the bones of the Apostle Peter.
This is an amazing read!
I am not a Catholic, but I am a Christian. I don't remember ever hearing about the discovery of Peter's remains under the basilica in Rome. The facts of this book might explain why.
Pope Pius XI dies February 10, 1939. "In the middle of the month, an excavation team begins to dig beneath the basilica for both a grave for the deceased pope and a small chapel to surround it. Because the area below the Vatican was only 6 feet high, they had to dig down. In the process, a workman fell through the floor. Very quickly he found himself in an amazing and unknown world, with bright mural paintings of flowers, birds, vases of fruit, idyllic landscapes, cupids and more. Vatican officials rapidly determined that the paintings were Roman funeral murals from the height of Rome's power during the first and second centuries. Digging further, the workmen discovered the remains of the daughter of a Roman consul. Then they encountered the most amazing find of all: the much simpler grave of a woman from the mid-second century, with Christian inscriptions on her tomb.
This was an amazing discovery. During its first few centuries, Christianity was a secret, illegal cult in the Roman Empire, and Christians were subject to terrible waves of persecution. Few, if any Christian artifacts survive from this early period."
This reminded the soon to be Pope Pius XII of a legend regarding Peter's death. Christian tradition held the belief that Peter went to Rome, was crucified by Nero around A.D. 66, and then his body was left on Vatican Hill. Could Peter have been buried beneath the basilica for all these years? He needed to find out and he needed money.
He then enlisted the assistance of wealthy Houston oilman George Strake. Strake was among the largest single donors to the Catholic church in the world who always requested that his donations remain anonymous. They asked Strake to virtually write a blank check for the funding of this expedition. And so with WWII beginning, so too, did the expedition.
Instead of calling in experts, because they wanted to keep the tomb secret, other church officials headed by Ludwig Kaas and Antonio Ferrua were allowed to lead the investigation. Ferrua hamstringed Kaas and dug with reckless abandon, to the detriment of many artifacts. Conferring with sacred texts, the bones of Peter were thought to be buried under Gaius' Trophy, so when bones were found there they were declared Peter's. The story was kept silent until 1949 as the excavation team had reported that very few other references to Peter could be found and the Vatican didn't want to release information that was incorrect.
In 1952, one of the first non-Vatican employees to tour the excavation was Margherita Guarducci. She was a renowned Epigraphist and Archeologist. Upon entering the Necropolis, she was horrified by the team's evident failure to follow basic archeological procedures. She reported this to Pius XII and in a surprising turn, he immediately hired her to take over excavations rather than appoint Anotonio Ferrua.
Guarducci worked 25 years in the Necropolis and her findings are simply amazing. Ferrua continuously contradicted those findings publicly because he could never stomach her being chosen over him and continuously referred to her as an overzealous woman.
It wasn't until March of 2013, after both the deaths of Ferrua and Guarducci, that Vatican officials authenticated Guarducci's find as the bones of the Apostle Peter.
This is an amazing read!
February 14, 2020
So the premise of this book is fascinating, unveiling some of the secret history of the excavation of the Necropolis beneath St. Peter’s basilica. I have two difficulties with it. First, it is not terribly well- written. Parts are repetitive, and there is one page where I think he uses the word “genius” ten times in three paragraphs. The story, which does indeed read like a “real-life Dan Brown novel” would have been far more compelling with better writing. The second difficulty I have is with the question of the truth of this “true” story. Nearly all of the citations in the book reference a single author. And quite a few of the citations are dubious internet sources. And yet the author asserts as clear fact things that do not have overwhelming research consensus. That is partly understandable, because the author is trying to tell a story which he claims has been squashed for political reasons. That may indeed be true. But his story would have been better served if he had used higher quality and more diverse sources, and if he had stated things in a way that acknowledged the shocking nature of his claims. By merely stating them as facts, he undermined his own reliability. Still, a fun read that tells a mostly untold story. I’ll simply take it with a grain of salt.
January 26, 2020
This isn't what I was hoping it would be. I found the book to be more of an apologist justification for the works of the church during World War II, while demonstrating the deplorable approach to investigating this potentially significant archaeological find. It shines a horrifying spotlight on some of the priests involved in the excavation and demonstrates why it would never be possible to know if this discovery is truly the grave of Peter.
Compound that with a Pope who, instead of releasing this information to the world and demonstrating respect for the dead, takes the initially found bones -- which ultimately proved to not be those of Peter -- and kept them for YEARS in a box in his own living quarters like some personal trophy, and I came away wondering what is going on in the Vatican. I would think that a Pope would have more respect and veneration for the man hailed as the church's first Pope than to keep him as a personal keepsake, like the original archaeologists of Egypt who only wanted to find treasure to take home and display so they could say they found it.
Ultimately I found this book disturbing and to some degree horrifyingly offensive.
Compound that with a Pope who, instead of releasing this information to the world and demonstrating respect for the dead, takes the initially found bones -- which ultimately proved to not be those of Peter -- and kept them for YEARS in a box in his own living quarters like some personal trophy, and I came away wondering what is going on in the Vatican. I would think that a Pope would have more respect and veneration for the man hailed as the church's first Pope than to keep him as a personal keepsake, like the original archaeologists of Egypt who only wanted to find treasure to take home and display so they could say they found it.
Ultimately I found this book disturbing and to some degree horrifyingly offensive.
June 29, 2025
A great book to read just before the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul! Our pastor even talked about St. Peter's tomb just below the altar in St. Peter's Cathedral today at Mass in our little parish church of St. Paul!
March 23, 2018
Good detail and fascinating proof that oral tradition is valuable to our faith and culture.
August 26, 2018
This is not the book this story deserves.
I think the backstory is profoundly fascinating, but this book loops back and forth, and frankly loses its plot at several points. The errors are numerous, but they are on ancillary points, not really related to the story (ex: Galileo was never threatened with execution; besides having nothing to do with this story, this is a trite, oft-repeated legend that a high school student could have sorted out).
As the author writes that he was in a hurry to finish after a cancer diagnosis, I am willing to understand that the book may have been rushed to completion...but there are two coauthors (who are strangely not mentioned on the book’s cover). If this book was rushed to finish, I recommend a rewrite/re-edit for a second edition. The story deserves to be told, but this book doesn’t accomplish the task.
My 3-Star rating is mostly a reflection of the value of the story itself, not the way this book is written.
I think the backstory is profoundly fascinating, but this book loops back and forth, and frankly loses its plot at several points. The errors are numerous, but they are on ancillary points, not really related to the story (ex: Galileo was never threatened with execution; besides having nothing to do with this story, this is a trite, oft-repeated legend that a high school student could have sorted out).
As the author writes that he was in a hurry to finish after a cancer diagnosis, I am willing to understand that the book may have been rushed to completion...but there are two coauthors (who are strangely not mentioned on the book’s cover). If this book was rushed to finish, I recommend a rewrite/re-edit for a second edition. The story deserves to be told, but this book doesn’t accomplish the task.
My 3-Star rating is mostly a reflection of the value of the story itself, not the way this book is written.
September 25, 2018
I give this book 3 stars because I love archaeology and the idea behind the story—that the tomb of St Peter lay forgotten for hundreds of years underneath St Peter’s Basilica. But I feel three stars is fairly generous, because writing leaves a lot to be desired. It’s poorly organized, full of hyperbole, repetitive, makes far too many movie references, and lacks direction. It’s a times a WWII spy story, a biography of too many characters, and a soap opera. The most compelling person to me was the Italian archaeologist Margherita Guarducci, but we don’t learn very much about her except that she was mercilessly persecuted and ridiculed by Vatican priest Antonio Ferrua.
March 14, 2019
My favorite part of this approachable and fascinating nonfiction work was O’Neill’s emphasis on the epigraphy of the ancient walls beneath St. Peter’s serving as proof that the basic tenets of our Catholic faith existed from the very beginning. The belief and faith that Jesus conquered death with the Cross and his Resurrection, and also the beautiful practice of praying to the Apostles and saints for their intercession and help. To backpedal, epigraphy is “the study and interpretation of ancient inscriptions,” as defined by a quick Google search. I don’t want to spoil more, so please read the book to find out the details of the inscriptions, as well as the rest of this vivid, captivating story. (The inscriptions do include references to Mary, Mother of God!)
The story plays out across a varied cast of nonfictional characters. For all readers, especially female ones, the determination and genius of Margherita Guarducci, described as one of the earliest “Italian feminists” by the author, is a source of true inspiration. She is definitely one for the books, a woman both immersed in the gloried past as well as engaged in a “feminist” role long before it became popular. If you hold an interest in archaeology or even only history, this is a great read.
The story plays out across a varied cast of nonfictional characters. For all readers, especially female ones, the determination and genius of Margherita Guarducci, described as one of the earliest “Italian feminists” by the author, is a source of true inspiration. She is definitely one for the books, a woman both immersed in the gloried past as well as engaged in a “feminist” role long before it became popular. If you hold an interest in archaeology or even only history, this is a great read.
August 2, 2019
Could have been a airly interesting story line, but like others mentioned, it jumped around quite a bit and had many repetitions that became annoying after awhile. I also never understood why it was SO important to find St. Peter's body under the Bascilica.... it seems there are enough historical references to validate that he was the first pope. Maybe I am not getting it? Just didn't keep my interest.
June 5, 2018
My husband ran across this story somewhere in his web-surfing and said it sounded really interesting. So I loaded it on my kindle app for him to read. Then the friends who are planning my upcoming Italy trip sent me an email that we had tickets for the tour of the necropolis under the Vatican. Hmmm. Coincidence?
So I have to say, this is not the best-written history I've ever read. O'Neill jumps around between the discovery of the Conroe Oil Field in Texas, the priests who smuggled the Jews out of Rome during WWII, Constantine's mother Helena and the building of St. Peter's Basilica, and the search for and archaeological feud about the bones of the Apostle Peter. It's aimed at a general audience, but it tells quite a yarn and it's a good overview for my trip.
So I have to say, this is not the best-written history I've ever read. O'Neill jumps around between the discovery of the Conroe Oil Field in Texas, the priests who smuggled the Jews out of Rome during WWII, Constantine's mother Helena and the building of St. Peter's Basilica, and the search for and archaeological feud about the bones of the Apostle Peter. It's aimed at a general audience, but it tells quite a yarn and it's a good overview for my trip.
July 24, 2018
This book is an interesting, quick read. There is an abundant use of foreshadowing, frequently poorly constructed, that eliminates most of the suspense and intrigue. The archaeological investigation is presented in a concise summary, useful for extracting a Cliff's Notes version of the essentials but rather underwhelming in portraying the effort, challenges, and breakthroughs that comprised that investigation.
February 18, 2019
O'Neill is a great storyteller; thus, this book does a great job of telling the quick and dirty version of the search for St. Peter's tomb. Nevertheless, it doesn't do a fantastic job of explaining that the Church does not claim that relics have "magical powers" or emphasizing the greatness of Margherita Guarducci's work. Margherita is a true "rockstar" of the 2oth century archeological world.
March 8, 2019
A fascinating look at an archaeological mystery which involves an unlikely mashup between a Texan oil baron and Vatican politics. I do have the impression that this was well researched, but the various players in the story are definitely painted with a biased brush. Still certainly worth a read!
July 27, 2019
I really enjoyed this. It is fascinating. I just wish I had read it before I went to Rome last year. I would’ve loved to have taken the tour of the underground tombs.
March 30, 2021
3.5 stars, I rounded up. Story was fast paced and the subject extremely interesting. I did feel that some of the tangents the author went on were not related to the actual subject, but I still enjoyed learning about it. My biggest problem with the book was how repetitive it was, often the same exact sentence repeated only a page or two later. A thesaurus might have been helpful. I also wonder about some of the author’s claims, for example, he states that on Scavi Tours the guides do not mention the bones of St Peter, or where they were found, at least not prior to 2013 and the election of Pope Francis. This was due, the author claims, to the ongoing feud between Margherita Guarducci and Fr. Ferrua. I know this to be false however, since I distinctly remember seeing the niche, and being told about the finding of St. Peter’s bones on my tour of the Necropolis back in 2010. Maybe a overgeneralization for dramatic effect? Overall it was a good read though.
January 4, 2026
Terrific! It’s not often a true story captivates me like this book. It is fast paced, with twists and turns expertly weaved into the story line, keeping you hooked to continue reading.
March 13, 2025
Very informative! I learned alot. I wasn't a giant fan of how it was written, particularly in the waning chapters
July 22, 2023
Intriguing non-fiction book covering the years of archeological digging and research that concluded in the finding of the bones of Peter, the disciple of Christ, in the underground tombs below the Vatican. Beginning in 1939 and finally coming to conclusion with actual proof in 2013, this was a fascinating story.
June 6, 2023
Enjoyed with a gigantic grain of salt.
June 20, 2019
Catholic oral tradition had long held that St. Peter was crucified (upside down) by Emperor Nero in Rome, and that St. Peter's Basilica was built over his bones. But that was just an article of faith until, in the 20th century, excavations beneath the Vatican turned up what are believed to be St. Peter's remains. You can now see the excavations (which are fascinating in their own right, due to the well-preserved ancient Roman mausoleums) and the gravesite on the Vatican's scavi tour.
Meghan and I took the tour on our honeymoon, but I didn't really know much about the backstory. So I was very interested to learn about this book when the author, John O'Neill, a local Houstonian, spoke at the St. Thomas More Society.
From the citations in this book (which are frustratingly formatted as endnotes), I can tell there have been at least a few other in-depth treatments of this topic. But this is comparatively a quick little read of under 200 short pages. That brevity necessarily means that its a fairly shallow summary of major events; but that was, honestly, a perfect level of depth for what I was interested in.
The author's main contribution—and apparent raison d'etre for writing—is to describe the role that a wealthy Houston oilman, George Strake, played in the excavation project by financing the entire thing. This was done in secret, and appears to have remained so until the author befriended the family and uncovered the details. That gives the entire story an interesting and unexpected Texas twist.
I'm giving this 3 out of 5 stars, because the book was perfectly fine and exactly what I was looking for. I certainly liked it and would recommend it to anyone interested in the subject.
Meghan and I took the tour on our honeymoon, but I didn't really know much about the backstory. So I was very interested to learn about this book when the author, John O'Neill, a local Houstonian, spoke at the St. Thomas More Society.
From the citations in this book (which are frustratingly formatted as endnotes), I can tell there have been at least a few other in-depth treatments of this topic. But this is comparatively a quick little read of under 200 short pages. That brevity necessarily means that its a fairly shallow summary of major events; but that was, honestly, a perfect level of depth for what I was interested in.
The author's main contribution—and apparent raison d'etre for writing—is to describe the role that a wealthy Houston oilman, George Strake, played in the excavation project by financing the entire thing. This was done in secret, and appears to have remained so until the author befriended the family and uncovered the details. That gives the entire story an interesting and unexpected Texas twist.
I'm giving this 3 out of 5 stars, because the book was perfectly fine and exactly what I was looking for. I certainly liked it and would recommend it to anyone interested in the subject.
July 31, 2019
Staggering. This is a story of extremes. Secret quest funded by a millionaire to find 1,700-year-old bones that had been searched for numerous times in the past. Incompetent archaeologists toss aside ancient bones. Mistaken identities. Historical finds of great value. Genius corrects story but is then systematically disgraced out of jealousy. But now the air is cleared. Peter's bones now lie for public viewing where they rested in hiding since St. Peter's was built in 337 AD.
July 2, 2020
A rather incredible telling of a search that stretched back into ancient Roman history as well as that of the Catholic Church. Rumor and tradition said that St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City was built over the grave of Simon Peter, the Rock of early Christianity. But that was thousands of years ago and rumor can be more wistful desire than actual truth. But the Vatican wanted to know...and was willing to proceed, completely in secret.
The story has Peter's body thrown on a hill used as a trash dumping ground and early Christians secretly buried his body on there - Vatican hill. That vacant land quickly became used as a pagan burial ground with the tombs and mausoleums. Constantine allowed a church to be built over the traditional site of Peter's grave but needed a flat foundation so instead of desecrating Roman family tombs, the area was back-filled and a vast, hidden necropolis was created, locked in time.
During 1626, excavations for an attached baldacchino (stone canopy usually over an altar or underground mausoleum) broke into a pagan tomb which of course, horrified priests and the workers. For it was right beneath the holy altar of St. Peter's Basilica! The site was sealed for centuries and never even hinted at until attempts to lower the floor of the burial grottoes revealed brilliant Roman murals and the grave of a young Christian woman.
It was Pope Pius XII that decided to continue the excavation, hoping that somewhere amidst these graves was Peter's grave and attained financial support from a devote oil baron, George Strake, finder of the massive Conroe oil/natural gas field in Texas. Secrecy was key. Ludwig Kaas was to supervise the excavation and was unfortunately at odds with priest, Antonio Ferrua who possessed an degree in archaeology and resented Kaas oversight. Ferrua assumed control of the excavation, excluding Kaas, and in his arrogance and willful blindness, destroyed and/or ignored many clues, murals and inscriptions. It was his disrespect for the remains uncovered that would horrify workers and would eventually result in Peter's bones being saved.
It was due to Kaas' successor, Margherita Guarducci, a brilliant archaeologist that was known for her ability to decipher epigraphy and graffiti in ancient Greek and Latin, that the actual location of Peter's grave was discovered. Of course, Ferrua was quite offended and spent the following years to ridicule and disparage her knowledge and findings due to the fact she was a woman and received the recognition he felt he deserved. When Guarducci was removed from the excavation upon the pope's death and Ferrua's accent to head of the archaeological department at the Vatican, it only got worse as her name was never mentioned in connection with the excavation and results therein. But time and changes in the papacy resulted in a reexamination of the bones as well as Guarducci's findings. And her results were eventually upheld. Well, the papacy finds the evidence and results very convincing and have declared St. Peter's grave and bones discovered.
Today, the most exclusive and unique tour in the Vatican is the Scavi tour. An exploration of the necropolis beneath the basilica ending at St. Peter's tomb with the bones behind glass. Not for the claustrophobic and certainly exclusive since only 250 tickets per day are allotted. Meaning, if you planning to travel to Rome next year - even without the COVID pandemic happenstance - there is a chance that all the tickets could be sold out so it's never too early to attempt to reserve your spot.
2020-122
The story has Peter's body thrown on a hill used as a trash dumping ground and early Christians secretly buried his body on there - Vatican hill. That vacant land quickly became used as a pagan burial ground with the tombs and mausoleums. Constantine allowed a church to be built over the traditional site of Peter's grave but needed a flat foundation so instead of desecrating Roman family tombs, the area was back-filled and a vast, hidden necropolis was created, locked in time.
During 1626, excavations for an attached baldacchino (stone canopy usually over an altar or underground mausoleum) broke into a pagan tomb which of course, horrified priests and the workers. For it was right beneath the holy altar of St. Peter's Basilica! The site was sealed for centuries and never even hinted at until attempts to lower the floor of the burial grottoes revealed brilliant Roman murals and the grave of a young Christian woman.
It was Pope Pius XII that decided to continue the excavation, hoping that somewhere amidst these graves was Peter's grave and attained financial support from a devote oil baron, George Strake, finder of the massive Conroe oil/natural gas field in Texas. Secrecy was key. Ludwig Kaas was to supervise the excavation and was unfortunately at odds with priest, Antonio Ferrua who possessed an degree in archaeology and resented Kaas oversight. Ferrua assumed control of the excavation, excluding Kaas, and in his arrogance and willful blindness, destroyed and/or ignored many clues, murals and inscriptions. It was his disrespect for the remains uncovered that would horrify workers and would eventually result in Peter's bones being saved.
It was due to Kaas' successor, Margherita Guarducci, a brilliant archaeologist that was known for her ability to decipher epigraphy and graffiti in ancient Greek and Latin, that the actual location of Peter's grave was discovered. Of course, Ferrua was quite offended and spent the following years to ridicule and disparage her knowledge and findings due to the fact she was a woman and received the recognition he felt he deserved. When Guarducci was removed from the excavation upon the pope's death and Ferrua's accent to head of the archaeological department at the Vatican, it only got worse as her name was never mentioned in connection with the excavation and results therein. But time and changes in the papacy resulted in a reexamination of the bones as well as Guarducci's findings. And her results were eventually upheld. Well, the papacy finds the evidence and results very convincing and have declared St. Peter's grave and bones discovered.
Today, the most exclusive and unique tour in the Vatican is the Scavi tour. An exploration of the necropolis beneath the basilica ending at St. Peter's tomb with the bones behind glass. Not for the claustrophobic and certainly exclusive since only 250 tickets per day are allotted. Meaning, if you planning to travel to Rome next year - even without the COVID pandemic happenstance - there is a chance that all the tickets could be sold out so it's never too early to attempt to reserve your spot.
2020-122
August 14, 2024
A fascinating look into the history of Christianity and the role that faith so often plays in truth. The finding of St. Peter's final resting place is a story centuries in the making, with hundreds of people involved in the work. It was a labor of love, and one bound up in the cultural memory of the eternal city and it's people. This book is an excellent accompaniment to anyone looking to read more on biblical archeology or on the early history of Rome and the modern history of the Catholic Church.
May 3, 2021
John O’Neill’s compelling story of one of the most historic archaeological finds of the 20th century reads like a Dan Brown thriller - lots of intrigue, betrayal, secrecy, drama, investigations, secret chambers and mysterious inscriptions. He sets the scene by providing fascinating backstories about Peter based on Christian traditions, Nero and the Great Fire of Rome, the Vatican, and the key players, among them are the Three Amigos. His professional skill as a lawyer plays a large part in helping him track down and follow various leads and trails of this amazing search.
The Fisherman’s Tomb is indeed a spellbinding read from the start. Finishing it has been a breeze and pleasant experience for me. Definitely a page-turner!
The Fisherman’s Tomb is indeed a spellbinding read from the start. Finishing it has been a breeze and pleasant experience for me. Definitely a page-turner!
September 13, 2020
Absolutely fascinating book! I can't believe I have been to the Vatican twice and never knew about the drama and mystery surrounding St. Peter's tomb.
October 18, 2020
The fascinating story of how we came to find out - undeniably - if St. Peter really is under the Vatican!
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September 13, 2023One day an email arrived from my library telling me this book was finally available. I have no memory or placing the hold but it must have been years ago. Thought I, well I'd better read it hadn't I?
It's pretty interesting but overlong. But written in a way that the overlong-ness is still fun.
The author in a preface says he has cancer and must get this tale down before he dies. Then proceeds to go off on tangents left and right. Very human.
It's pretty interesting but overlong. But written in a way that the overlong-ness is still fun.
The author in a preface says he has cancer and must get this tale down before he dies. Then proceeds to go off on tangents left and right. Very human.
May 6, 2025
This is an amazing story! I am so glad that I learned about this history.
November 16, 2024
Enjoyable historical read; informative but not dense.
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