New York Times best selling author John O'Neill recounts the amazing tale of the secret Vatican search to find the true grave and bones of St. Peter.  He explains what we know historically about the birth, life and death of Peter the Apostle.  He talks about the building of the original St. Peter's by the Emperor Constantine and how that construct leveled Vatican Hill and covered tombs that were centuries old.  O'Neill discusses the Catholic Church's first attempts to locate the bones of St. Peter in 1513 and later in 1683 - both of which were unsuccessful.  He tells of an amazing discovery in the 1930s when workers were digging to prepare for the burial of Pope Pius XI.  The discovery sparked renewed interest in First and Second Century Christians and embarked the Vatican on the trail once again to locate Peter's grave.  O'Neill discusses how the 1930s were a troubling time for the Catholic Church with fascist leaders who were belligerent to religion.  The Church out of funds turned to a Texas oilman, George Strake to fund the search for the fisherman's tomb.  The author also explains the importance of Father Walter Carroll and how he helped protect Rome from destruction during WWII.  The archeological dig finally got expert help with the addition of renowned archeologist Margherita Guarducci.  The discussion concludes with an overview of the current tour you can take to St. Peter's Tomb.

HOST:  Rob Mellon

FEATURED BREW:  Paulaner Salvator Doppelbock, Paulaner Brewery, Munich, Germany

BOOK:  The Fisherman's Tomb: The True Story of the Vatican's Secret Search
https://www.amazon.com/Fishermans-Tomb-Vaticans-Secret-Search/dp/1681921405/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&hvadid=78477753307848&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvqmt=e&keywords=the+fisherman%E2%80%99s+tomb&qid=1605233077&sr=8-1&tag=mh0b-20

MUSIC:  Bones Fork