Sleeping Beauties: A Guide to Germany's Catacomb Saints

In 1578, workers outside Rome broke through into a forgotten network of catacombs — and unearthed the bones of thousands of early Christians. In the centuries that followed, hundreds of these skeletons were exhumed, identified as saints and martyrs, and sent north across the Alps as gifts to Catholic churches recovering from the ravages of the Reformation.

There, in convents and workshops across Bavaria, Austria, and Switzerland, nuns and craftsmen dressed them in silk, gold thread, and gemstones — transforming bone into reliquary, and the anonymous dead into what history now calls the Sleeping Beauties.

This digital guide is a photographic pilgrimage through their world: the churches that house them, the stories behind their identification, and the extraordinary artistry that turned mortality into glory.

Inside, you'll find:

• An illustrated history of the Catacomb Saints — from Counter-Reformation politics to convent workshops
• A breakdown of how relics were identified, and the controversy behind the process
• Close-up photography of the jewels, wax, and textiles that adorn these figures
• Profiles of specific Sleeping Beauties across Germany, each with original photography
• A map of every location featured, for those who wish to visit

A guide for anyone drawn to the strange, sacred beauty of the Baroque — where death is not hidden, but dressed in gold.

Delivered as a downloadable PDF.