Heavenly Bodies: Cult Treasures & Spectacular Saints from the Catacombs

Having read 'Empire of Death', and thoroughly enjoyed it (despite the tiny print), I was excited to see this book available. It doesn't take long to read, but the pictures are stunning and the story accompanying these beautiful aids to faith and prayer is touching, sensitive, and (towards the end) quite sad. I am not religious at all, but the time and attention given to these Holy Bodies moved me. Whether or not they are genuine relics, or a quickly blessed jumble of bones is irrelevant - the vigour they brought back to a damaged institution should not be forgotten. Nor should they, and I hope that this book helps their cause in a world that is scared of death. I'll be making a journey to Waldsassen based on this book. I can not wait for his next one!

A second book by Paul koudanaris, that complements his wonderful previous book "the empire of death" . The pictures here, are also stunning, and the narrative helps explore elements of faith and the historical dialogue with death that has changed over the years to become a societal taboo. This is far from Being a gory book, it is beautiful and written respectfully by a true academic, focussing on a particular area of our responses to death and the reasons for differing attitudes to this over time and area. It's intriguing, beautifully photographed, and well written, marvellous !

Beautiful book with great pictures. I was hoping to add it to my collection but unfortunately it came damaged. It has glue stuck to the edge. I am completely disappointed with the service. I will keep it and try to solve it myself.

I bought this book after a friend pointed me to the pictures online, not realising what a fascinating story it would tell. European History, relating to the Reformation, Roman Catholicism in the middle ages and how myth can be brought to life by adulation and belief are explored in the very readable text, while the pictures are pretty boggling. I love a skeleton, I properly love a bit of bling. If you like either or both, then you'll get a buzz from this excellent book. Worth every penny and full of ideas if you are creative... Especially for Hallowe'en!

Stunning book full of brilliant photography, bought as a reference for uni work. I'd highly recommend anything by this author, the photos are beautiful and the writing clear and concise.

it alright

The photography in this book is stunning and is what makes it for me. It is also very informative. A few people seen it and were judging me for to quote "having a book of dead guys", till themselves had a look and seen that it is so much more. This book shows how some have celebrated death in a very elaborate way. Amazing!

Took 3 weeks to arrive despite being in stock when I ordered it. When I opened the parcel, the book inside had obviously been damaged before dispatch. The packaging wasn't damaged on the outside at all. It looked as if it had been wet, and the first 18 pages were ripped. I ordered this as a gift and was very disappointed. Amazon responded to my request swiftly and kindly, and a replacement was sent and arrived at my door in Copenhagen within 24 hours. Undamaged! They were so helpful and I am most impressed with their service. The book itself is beautiful and just as expected. I look forward to giving this as a gift. Amazon never fails to provide you with the best possible service, sometimes much better than you even imagined possible.

From the publisher, Thames & Hudson: "In 1578 a labyrinth of underground burials was discovered in Rome that contained the remains of thousands of individuals assumed to be early Christian martyrs. The bones were disinterred and sent to many Catholic churches and religious houses in German-speaking Europe to replace holy relics that had been destroyed during the Protestant Reformation. Reassembled by skilled artisans, encrusted with gold and jewels and richly dressed in fantastic costumes, the skeletons were displayed in elaborate public shrines as reminders of the spiritual treasures that awaited the faithful after death. For nearly three centuries these ‘Heavenly Bodies’ were venerated as miracle-workers and protectors of their communities until doubts about their authenticity surfaced in the modern era. They then became a source of embarrassment for the Church and most were destroyed or hidden away. The book includes arresting images of more than seventy spectacular jeweled skeletons and the fascinating stories of dozens more, accompanied by rare archive material. This is the first time that some of these incredible relics – both intriguing historical artifacts and masterpieces of artistic craftsmanship in their own right – have appeared in a publication, with Koudounaris gaining unprecedented access to photograph in some of the most secretive religious establishments in Europe.Meticulously researched and beautifully written, this is a tour de force of original cultural history with deepest resonances for a modern audience fascinated by visual representations of death." More than a photography book, Heavenly Bodies is a beautifully haunting history of the catacomb saints taken from Rome by the Catholic Church centuries ago. Koudoumaris does a fantastic job of weaving the tale of the discovery of the skeletons, their issue to the towns that revered them, and the eventual, horrific downfall of their esteem. I found the narrative extremely easy to digest, and fascinating on so many levels. Decidedly Gothic in style and feeling, the catacomb saints have been seen as holy relics, and as disgusting displays of hypocrisy. Wisely refusing to engage in a theological debate, Koudoumaris outlines in sympathy the "life" and fate of these exquisitely decorated skeletons. Originally numbering in the hundreds of thousands, these days only a handful of the catacomb saints remain, having been put away in storage or caskets, destroyed, or vandalised. Many have passed out of history all together. Though macabre, the photography was absolutely gorgeous, and the high-quality paper and print of the book made it an absolute pleasure to look through and observe. Something deeply unsettling reaches out through the pictures, as if they are alive in their intimate, reticulated poses, with Koudoumaris's camera portraying the melancholy and sadness in the silence of their altars. Truly one of the best photography books I have seen in a long while, about a subject exceedingly interesting and unique. Though I wish I could show you every photo, I instead insist you go out and get a copy, because it deserves a slot on your bookshelf. While you're waiting for it to be delivered, you can check out this small Pinterest board: http://www.pinterest.com/rollen1000/heavenly-bodies-the-catacomb-saints/

Reçu ce jour, je me réjouis de découvrir ce superbe livre ! Envoi rapide et soigné.

Splendido, bellissime immagini. Per gli amanti del genere impossibile non averlo

Beautiful book with dazzling photographt and intriguing content. It's a must for any scholar of art and art history, religious studies, or anyone with a curious mind.

I don't often bother to review books I buy, but this one was so much more than I had hoped for. It collects more information than you can find with Google (even when you search in German) and presents it beautifully in a well-made coffee-table-style hardback at a very reasonable price. There are lots and lots of close-up colour photographs (filling about half the pages) the text is a really interesting read. It gives you fascinating background detail about the history of these curiosities without falling into over-academic or art-historian speak, and at the same time maintaining a surprising amount of respect for the devotees of these relics. Thank you Paul Koudounaris for a brilliant book on the macabre catacomb saints.