800 year old crusader beheaded in St Michan's church in Dublin (Ireland)

800 year old crusader beheaded in St Michan's church in Dublin

The 800 year old body of a crusader resting in the crypt of St Michan's church in Dublin has been beheaded over night after a break-in.

Archdeacon David Pierpoint spoke to Philip Boucher-Hayes on RTÉ's Liveline and said the Crusader's head has been "severed from his body and taken away." He also said a number of the other mummified remains of other bodies were destroyed and one of the nuns was completely trashed. One other skull was removed from the vault and a coffin in the Hamilton vault was broken open too.

He said it would have taken a lot of strength to get through the door and gate leading to the vaults which wasn't something he thought youths would have been capable of doing.

The discovery was made by the tour guide at 1pm when the guide was preparing to open the church for visitors.

St. Michan's Church is an Anglican Church and popular tourist attraction located on Church Street. The first Christian chapel on the site dates from 1095, and operated as a Catholic church until the Reformation. The current church dates from 1686.

The vaults of St. Michan's uniquely contain many mummified remains. The walls in the vaults contain limestone, which has kept the air dry, creating ideal conditions for preservation.

Among the preserved remains are the six-and-a-half foot man popularly believed to have been a crusader which was beheaded, the 400-year-old body of a nun,, a body with its feet and right hand severed, he death mask of Wolfe Tone and the Sheares brothers—Henry and John—who took part in the 1798 rebellion. The various holders of the title Earl of Leitrim were also interred there.

The church also contains a large pipe organ which Handel is said to have played during the first ever performance of his Messiah.

Archdeacon Pierpoint said he is upset and disappointed that the church has been targeted again by vandals. The crypt of St Michan’s was vandalised in 1996.

Archdeacon Pierpoint said the incident is devastating for the parish and community. He said initially he was "quite disgusted" when he saw what had happened, but now he is "just sad".

"It’s a sad day for the church and a sad day for humanity" that someone would do such a thing.

The tours of the site are being cancelled for the foreseeable future. Last year around 27,000 people visited the church.

Broadcast: The Joe Duffy Show | Liveline | 25 Feb 2019

https://www.invidio.us/watch?v=UmRleWM-tIc

https://www.invidio.us/channel/UCgzyycFR6PEv-B90rAiFsQg