1) the creepy: two 2nd century Spanish martyrs reconstructed out of wax (Sts. Felicissimus and Marcia), with real human hair in the wigs. The actual skulls of the martyrs are embedded in the wax, and they are preserved in glass cases inside a chapel. We were not allowed to take photos at the Loreta's chapel, so here is a link to the virtual tour to view these wax figures. Seriously, the photos don't do them justice. A less creepy, and more expensive, version of this type of preservation can be seen with the skull of St. Wenceslas. He has a golden bust in which his head is kept, and it is displayed every year on his feast day (September 28th).
2) the ironic: the Bethlehem Chapel, where Jan Hus preached for 10 years, was saved from destruction by the Communists(!) around 1950. It had been used as a barn and warehouse, but the socialists saw Hus as the leader of a proto-proletariat revolution, so his church was worth saving. In the course of reconstruction, the archaeologists uncovered fragments of texts written on the walls in 1412 and 1415. Then they ruined the authenticity by painting pictures of peasants whacking knights with flails all over the place (the pictures are taken from a manuscript from about 1500) - oh well, I suppose you need some ideological continuity...
3) the ostentatious: during the 18th century, Catholic authorities needed a homegrown Bohemian saint to replace the popular Hus, so they cobbled together a legend for Jan Nepomuk, a fourteenth century "martyr" who was drowned in the Vltava river by the king, Wenceslas IV. So how do you commemorate a new saint? How about building a tomb in the cathedral out of a TON of pure silver. Yikes. It is also worth noting that when his body was dug up to be transferred to its new digs in 1719, it was found that his tongue was miraculously intact. Why does this matter? Because he was killed for refusing to tell the king what his wife, Queen Sophie, had said in the confessional.4) the bizarre: in the same complex as the wax saints, there is a side chapel with another wax statue of the little known St. Wilgefortis, who was a bearded lady (yes, I'm serious). She didn't want to get married, so she prayed to God that he would make her so ugly that no man would have her. A monstrous beard certainly did the trick, and her father crucified her for defying his wishes that she marry. And yes, the statue's beard is made of real human hair. You know you think I made this up, so here's a link to the Catholic Encyclopedia's article on Wilgefortis.
5) the miraculous: there is a small wax figurine of the Infant Jesus (think Ricky Bobby in Talledega nights if you want to get in the mood) in one church in Prague (the Church of our Lady of Victory). This figure has cause the miraculous healings of many people over the years. In thanks, many people have sewn robes for the Infant Jesus. He has enough clothes now that he can no longer wear each outfit during the year. There is a museum in the church with some of his most spectacular threads from places such as the Philippines, Colombia (with national flags sewn into the hem), and Brazil. This is a bit ironic as well, as the church was once the first Lutheran church in Prague - it was also the first church built in the baroque style. The church is both an active parish and a popular pilgrimage site - if you want to see the Infant, you can read more on the church's website.So, mega-churches and Jesus Camp it ain't. After seeing it all, though, you do have to appreciate the creativity, ingenuity, and pure devotion of people over time. One man's holy relic is another man's sideshow attraction, I guess (sorry, Wilgefortis). If we come across more things that top these, we'll be sure to let you know, but I suspect that these sites (along with the Ossuary) will be tough to top.
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