The Dead (Grateful & Otherwise) On Display

I used to be quite the apocalyptic kid. Growing up, I loved the book of Revelations [sic] and End Time Prophecy Preaching. It kind of messed me up for a while. (Even Hal Lindsey had to write a few more books since the Late Great one.) These days I’m torn between the view that Apocalypticism is Intellectual Laziness and “Watch Out! Here it comes!” This story ushers me into the latter category. By the way, that’s real human innards your seeing in the picture at left. They’re on display, cadavers that is … and coming to your town. Your thoughts?

Maranatha!

But, of course, brothers & sisters, there’s always hope. Consider this story about a dead body also on display:

Medical experts in the town of Lamia, central Greece, are puzzling over the body of a Greek Orthodox monk that was allegedly found intact 15 years after his burial, the semi-state Athens News Agency (ANA) reported on Monday.

“I believe this to be a sign from God,” Bishop Nikolaos of the local prefecture of Fthiotida told a press conference in Lamia. “Even the monk’s soft parts are intact,” he added.

The story of the deceased monk, Vissarionas Korkoliakos, has raised a media stir following his recent exhumation at Agathonos monastery.

Four local doctors summoned by Church authorities were unable to explain the alleged phenomenon. A fifth expert, an Athens coroner, wrote in his report that he has never seen such a case in his entire career, ANA said.

The church had also requested an opinion from head Athens coroner Philippos Koutsaftis, who declined to examine the body as the monk’s death was not crime-related.

Hundreds of faithful are already flocking to the site where the monk’s body was disinterred, ANA reported, but the local church is currently advising self-restraint.

“We do not intend to declare (this man) a saint, or to summon people to pray before him,” Bishop Nicholaos said.

The monk’s body will be placed in isolation in the monastery chapel “to let God speak through the passage of time,” the bishop said.

Source.

Thanks to FWDs from Fr Mark Haas and Fr Miguel Grave de Peralta.

UPDATE: Regarding the previous story, Mollie’s got more at GetReligion.