Did you know? There is a ‘Church of Bones’ in Czech Republic
Legend has it that after a half-blind monk stacked the bones into four huge pyramids, his sense of sight returned.
The Sedlec Ossuary at the church of All Saints in the Czech Republic is one of the most unique in the world. Why? Because it is decorated with the skeletal remains of more than 40,000 people!
Since the middle ages, the church has been considered a holy place to bury the dead as most of the skeletons are of people who died from the Black Death in the 14th century.
As the epidemic led to thousands of deaths, the graves became overcrowded and that is when a local woodcarver by name Frantisek Rint started decorating the church using all human bones.
Legend has it that after a half-blind monk stacked the bones into four huge pyramids, his sense of sight returned. Then, in 1870, Frantisek Rint finished the overall decoration of the church which also includes a huge ‘bone chandelier’ in the centre.
The ossuary was never intended to frighten people but rather to remind them of mortality and the transience of human life. The message is simple: “Keep death in mind!” and for visitors it is food for thought on the meaning of life.
Six years ago, the complete renovation of the church began after it fell into disrepair and the remaining bones, which were mainly stored inside the pyramids, started to disintegrate.
Before the pandemic, the ossuary was a very popular attraction, with half-a-million visitors every year. But since the last two years, the church has been suffering from lack of funds. Now, the church is hoping to raise funds for the renovation of one of the most unique churches in the world.
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