A statement by the Holy See Press Office says the identification of two ossuaries in the Vatican’s Teutonic Cemetery has led to the decision to continue investigations into the whereabouts of two princesses whose tombs were found to be empty.
By Vatican News
A brief statement issued by the interim director of the Holy See Press Office, Alessandro Gisotti, on Saturday shone light on the continuation of operations in the Vatican’s Teutonic Cemetery.
Gisotti said the preliminary investigations that took place onJuly 11 in the cemetery inside Vatican City were both of a documentary and a logistical nature.
It emerged, he said, that between the 1960s and ‘70s of the last century work was carried out to expand the college itself and that work, during this period, involved the entire cemetery area and the building of the Teutonic College.
Gisotti explained that since it is possible that the remains of the two princesses were moved to another suitable place in the cemetery, consequent checks are being carried out by workers to ascertain the situation of places adjacent to the tombs.
These inspections, he noted, have so far led to the identification of two ossuaries placed beneath the floor of an area inside the Pontifical Teutonic College. These are closed by a trap door and these ossuaries have been sealed for subsequent examination and possible retrieval of material stored there.
Gisotti said the Office of the Promoter of Justice of the Court of Vatican City State has therefore ordered that these operations take place in the presence of experts of the Office and of people appointed by the Orlandi family, as well as specialized personnel of the Vatican Police Corps and the same workers who have been involved in the investigations until now.
