A remarkable discovery has been made in Štítnik, Slovakia, as a 188-year-old time capsule was uncovered during the roof reconstruction of the church of St. Júda Tadeáš.
The box was found hidden in a poppy underneath a metal cross and was opened to reveal three folded documents, two of which were dated from 1834 and the third added 20 years later.
Now stored in the archives of the Bishop's Office in Rožňava, the documents include a poem in Slovakized Czech written by Ján Ružbacký that depicts the history of the church with respect to a fire and the following restoration works, as well as a description of the repair of the roof and the situation at that time.
Sylvia Lörinčíková, a historian at the Rožňava Bishop's Office, expressed her fascination with the time capsule.
"It complements not only the history of the location itself, in this case the church, but also describes to us broader connections that are often not even archived and we can then really create such a picture, such a mosaic of that life," says Lörinčíková.
The documents also include details on the country's leadership, the bishop of Rožnav, and the price of beef, agricultural crops, and ducks, offering a unique glimpse into life in the early 19th century.
The current parish priest was inspired by the discovery and decided to create a new time capsule that would document the most recent repair of the roof as well as other current events.
