5.

First day of class, and a jaunt to the Peterskirche.

While the interior of the church is ornate and beautiful, two strange altars are located toward the front stage. Interestingly, many of the guide books and online recommendations fail to mention that St. Peter's Church is home to the bones of two martyrs, who are adorned with jewels and metal inlays. However, the true identity of these bones are in question. While they are identified as Saint Benedict and Saint Donatus, these bones were found in the Roman catacombs. Priests couldn't be entirely sure that they were Christian martyrs, but they happened to be found in an area where many Christians were previously martyred, they figured they'd best be safe than sorry. I wonder how it felt to be the craftsperson who dressed up the skeletons with jewels and metal? I think that sounds like a tedious, yet intriguing task. 

This fellow had a very nice set of rings and bracelets.

Afterwards, we made a stop at the Imperial Treasury. I will return here on a day when I am less tired, and it is less hot out. I wish to hear the audio accompaniment to the tour, since most artifacts did not contain much detail.

The Imperial Crown of the Holy Roman Empire.

The excess of the monarchy is easy to see in the Treasury, where hundreds of artifacts of gold, jewels, and impressive uniforms are on display. Much of the exceptionally grandiose pieces were not only shows of wealth and power, but as offerings and acknowledgment to the almighty. Strong Catholic sensibility dictated much of there aesthetic of excess. The absolutism of the monarchy declared the "divine right of kings," in which no one was higher than the king, who was to be acknowledged and worshipped almost as a god. The elaborate burial rituals of the Habsburg monarchy furthered this absolutist practice, where the separation of body parts was seen as a sign of religious devotion.