In Aulendorf it is one of the town’s landmarks: the Catholic parish church of St. Martin. Adjacent to Aulendorf Castle, the church of St. Martin is definitely worth a visit. Precious works from many different eras can be marveled here, as the church has been continuously expanded since the late Gothic period.
The two skeletons displayed on either side of the altar, known as “catacomb saints”, once-revered holy objects regarded by 16th- and 17th-century Catholics as local protectors and personifications of the glory of the afterlife. They can bee seen from the front of the altar. Clearly visible is the rich decorations and the rib cage decorated with jewels and gold. Getting closer isn’t a option, alarmsystems gard the altar from anyone entering.
A little explanation of “Catacomb saints”: In 1578, an underground cemetery was discovered by chance in Rome, where the skeletons of thousands of people from the 1st to 3rd centuries AD were found. Because of this age they were quickly regarded as murdered Catholic martyrs. They were transported to the German-speaking countries to replace the holy relics that had been plundered and destroyed there by the Protestants. The skeletons were often artistically decorated with gold and jewels by nuns and later dressed in Baroque style.
