A team of Bulgarian archaeologists claims to have discovered bones that allegedly belonged to Saint John the Baptist. The find was made during excavations on the St. Ivan (St. John) island off the coast of the town of Sozopol on Bulgaria’s southern Black Sea coast, Balkan Traveller reports.
The relic urn found by the archaeologists was built in the altar of an ancient church also called Saint John the Baptist, which is the oldest on the island and dates back to fifth century BC.
The urn was opened by archaeologists on Sunday and was found to contain small arm and leg bones, as well as a tooth and a facial bone.
The reliquary has the shape of a sarcophagus and was discovered by the team of Professor Kazimir Popkonstantinov.
The reliquary was made out of alabaster and not of marble, as they previously thought, Popkonstantinov said on Sunday, during the relics’ official opening.
“An anthropological analysis is to be done soon,” he added.
Popkonstantinov has handed the relics over to the Bishop of Sliven, Joanikii, who is to decide where they should be lying in state.
SIC: CTHAS