Jeweled skeleton of Saint Munditia, patron saint of spinsters

St. Peter's Church, Munich, Germany

Category Relics and Reliquaries

Image of Jeweled skeleton of Saint Munditia, patron saint of spinsters located in Muenchen, Germany | Saint Munditia, St. Peter's Kirche, Munchen

Saint Munditia, St. Peter's Kirche, Munchen

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Image of Jeweled skeleton of Saint Munditia, patron saint of spinsters located in Muenchen, Germany | Saint Munditia, St. Peter's Kirche, Munchen Image of Jeweled skeleton of Saint Munditia, patron saint of spinsters located in Muenchen, Germany | St. Peter's Church, Munich Image of Jeweled skeleton of Saint Munditia, patron saint of spinsters located in Muenchen, Germany | St. Peter's Church Image of Jeweled skeleton of Saint Munditia, patron saint of spinsters located in Muenchen, Germany | St. Peter's interior
Relics and Reliquaries http://atlasobscura.com/category/memento-mori/relics-and-reliquaries

St. Peter's Church, or "Alter Peter", as Munchener's call it, is Munich's oldest church, dating from before the city's founding in 1158. The church, which is just steps from the Marienplatz where Munich's rathaus glockenspiel plays, is famous for the lantern-dome tower created when the building was remodeled in Renaissance style during the 17th century. As you enter St. Peter's church bear left, and a quarter of the way down the aisle you will find a glass coffin bearing the skeleton of Saint Munditia. Sewn into a transparent body stocking covered with gold and jewels, with glass eyes staring upwards, her remains have been here since their transfer from the Roman catacombs in 1675. She is believed to have been martyred in 310 AD, beheaded with a hatchet.

Once kept hidden in a wooden box, she was put on display in 1883. The patron saint of 'spinsters' she may have once been beautiful, (or maybe not) but today jewels cover her rotted teeth and her body is withered and brown with age. Each year a feast day is held in her honor complete with a High Mass and candle procession.

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Users who have been to this place: spinkk aljorton

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When you are looking at the glockenspiel in Munich's Marienplatz, a glance over your right shoulder will reveal St. Peter's church, just off the square. http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=48.136389,11.575833&spn=0.01,0.01&t=m&q=48.136389,11.575833

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  • spinkk& spinkk February 24, 2011
    I have edited "patron saint of single women" back to "patron saint of spinsters". A spinster is defined as "a single woman past marital age", i.e. an "old maid". Spinster is the term used by the Catholic Church to describe St. Munditia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spinster
  • & Anonymous March 7, 2010
    Location on Google Earth is at http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=48.136389,11.575833&spn=0.01,0.01&t=m&q=48.136389,11.575833