Elaborately decorated skeletons in Catholic churches across Bavaria take some visitors by surprise

Elaborately decorated skeletons in Catholic churches across Bavaria take some visitors by surprise

BAD STAFFELSTEIN, Germany (AP) — It is a sight that has sent shivers down the spines of many visitors: four complete skeletons draped in silk and brocade, adorned with precious stones, filigree gold, silver and lace that have been on display for centuries at the Catholic monastery church of Banz in southern Germany. The skeletons — known as Vincenzius, Valerius, Benedictus and Felix Benedictus — are the remains of so-called catacomb saints that …