A slideshow of churches made of bones

October 28, 2011 7:42 AM

Just something to kick off the Halloween weekend. I totally want that chandelier....
posted by Anima Mundi (14 comments total)

Great pictures, though we may have seen them before. The commentary in this case is a little breathless and seems determined to exoticize the content instead of understand it.
posted by hermitosis at 8:05 AM on October 28, 2011

Ah, didn't see that link when I searched for previous posts. I don't care for the commentary either - the pictures are what caught my eye.
posted by Anima Mundi at 8:16 AM on October 28, 2011

I'm still glad for the post, it's a good opportunity to explore all that stuff again.
posted by hermitosis at 8:19 AM on October 28, 2011

When life gives you dead parishoners, make, uh, a tasteful arrangement of dead parishoner bits?

There are parts of this story that make perfect sense to me - what I don't get is how Sedlec became the location for a destination funeral (because everyone who died of the plague was going to be dead by the 18th century anyway) prior to motorized vehicles, refrigeration or modern enbalming technique. Dragging dead uncle George Gregor fifty miles down a heavily rutted medieval road with an ox has pretty much all the hallmarks of things that aren't fun.
posted by Kid Charlemagne at 8:54 AM on October 28, 2011 [1 favorite]

I agree; that chandelier is a thing of beauty.
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 8:59 AM on October 28, 2011

I've been there in person. It's smaller then you think but no less impressive. Also everyone making damned sure they don't touch the bones.
posted by The Whelk at 9:37 AM on October 28, 2011

(sedlec, that is)
posted by The Whelk at 9:37 AM on October 28, 2011

I've been to the one in Rome. Creepy as hell. Also, don't you even think of going in there unless you're prepared to make a donation.
posted by Maisie at 10:26 AM on October 28, 2011

There are parts of this story that make perfect sense to me - what I don't get is how Sedlec became the location for a destination funeral

You can read about it on Wikipedia, but the gist is that a monk in the 13th century brought dirt back from Golgatha and spread it over the cemetery. Instant Corpsalooza.
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 11:10 AM on October 28, 2011

Sedlec is not creepy, particularly if there is a junior high field trip there at the same time.
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 11:11 AM on October 28, 2011

Sedlec is not creepy, particularly if there is a junior high field trip there at the same time.

At least not when you're there around the time I was, a sunny May Saturday. I imagine on a rainy January it could be downright spooky.
posted by JauntyFedora at 11:42 AM on October 28, 2011

@The Welk: Are you now allowed to touch the bones, or did everyone just find it creepy? Cus I think that would be cool. I mean, they've been dead for way longer then I've been alive, they aren't going to mind.
posted by Canageek at 3:08 PM on October 28, 2011

I think they didn't want you touching the more ornate structures cause they would blacken, but people where generally trying to not get too close to the PILE OF BONES.
posted by The Whelk at 3:16 PM on October 28, 2011

So, does anyone else live someplace where Trick-Or-Treating happens on some designated night not necessarily coinciding with Halloween? My girlfriend/partner is apparently convinced that the Thursday before Halloween is the only acceptable night to Trick-Or-Treat. I was raised to believe that on any day before or after Halloween door-to-door candy solicitation is just common begging regardless of what you wear.
posted by PJLandis at 3:34 PM on October 28, 2011