Saturday morning was my last chance for my last solo visit. I headed out with a small group to Barberini, where there was a small church with a crypt in the lower level.
I had been excited for an experience like this nearly the whole trip. When I previously visited both France and Italy, my parents had refused to do any crypt or catacomb trip. The creepy factor was not for them, though now that I had my chance, I was going to go for it.
Though Guerry had gone the previous day and went with us then, she hadn’t told us anything, nor were pictures allowed. My imagination pictured something a bit like Indiana Jones, dipping into a tunnel in the floor, and weaving through narrow halls and rooms of piled and arranged bones. And piles and arranged bones I got indeed, though I was surprised to be confronted with it all nearly right after we walked in.
After surrendering my camera batteries for no-photo insurance and making a small donation, me and the others walked right into a series of rooms with various arranged bones. It was truly a small hall, consisting of five or six rooms. Each one had various altars and ceiling decoration with different structures, as well as propped up skeletons, some standing and others lying in a niche. Chandeliers of arm bones hung down, and spine bones lined the curves of the ceiling. It seemed almost something to feel guilty for liking, and yet no matter how morbid, I found it so beautiful.
Skulls with pelvic bones adorning them as butterflies looked down upon us as we went from room to room, only to end up in the last room, one of the most intriguing ones. A circle of spines surrounded a skeleton pinned to the very top of the ceiling, holding what appeared to be a bone-like scythe in its small hand. Looking down over the room, it almost appeared to be ready to pounce on any intruder, threatening as death is.
I could have stood longer in the last room, but a coming German family soon approached, and we all left to give them room. Strolling slowly back through the line of rooms, I began to wonder how old all the propped up monks were, some still with rotting skin upon them, skeletons still hidden. When was this crypt created? How many people had been used in the decoration? Countless skulls were there, especially in the first two rooms. To count seemed impossible.
Before going up to the main floor of the church, many of us purchased post cards, since we could not snap photos. I bought one standard view, but also one of a lit up chandelier, curved with connected bones and yellow light. I found myself wanting one, and even though it seemed so morbid, it was as I said, gorgeous. Katie seemed to agree, and for the sake of our interest, I argued people do make chandeliers out of bones today still, and it is socially acceptable and not creepy. It’s a popular style in the Adirondacks, mostly with antlers. Animal bones may seem to be quite a jump from human bones, the shapes made interesting the décor.
In the dark church above, we did not spend much time. Flowers adorned the pews, and I sensed a coming wedding. Light spilled in through one side of the clerestory, illuminating a few people sitting quietly in the pews. The rest of the church’s details were lost in its dark corners and after wandering for a few minutes with a camera in hand, it was time to exit. I definitely thought the crypt was by far the most exciting part.
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