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Richly decorated skeleton preserved in a former monastery in southern Germany, at the former Benedictine abbey of Banz near Bad Staffelstein, May 2, 2026.

Video. Bejewelled skeletons on display in German monastery fascinate visitors

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Decorated catacomb saints at Bavaria's former Banz monastery continue to attract visitors centuries after arriving from Rome.

At a monastery church in southern Germany, four ornate skeletons known as “catacomb saints” have been on display for centuries, adorned with silk, gold and precious stones.

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Brought from Rome in the 17th and 18th centuries and believed to be early Christian martyrs, the relics were designed to inspire awe and devotion during the Baroque era.

Today, they remain a striking and sometimes unsettling attraction, drawing visitors intrigued by their history, symbolism and elaborate presentation.

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