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London Calling

The BBC reports on the St. Martin-era body unearthed at St Martin-in-the-Fields, Trafalgar Square.

And if there was a religious, sacred site, could it have been Christian? When the Last Roman died, Christianity had been officially favoured in the Roman Empire for decades – yet there are few Christian remains from Roman Britain and no identifiable churches in Roman London.

For the vicar of St Martin’s, Nicholas Holtam, the discovery of the burial of the Last Roman is a moving experience.

The man was a contemporary of St Martin himself, Nicholas Holtam points out. And he believes there are signs that it may well have been a Christian burial.

It raises the possibility that St Martin’s (first recorded in the 13th Century) has been a sacred site for much longer than we previously thought, he says.

He recognises that the evidence must be looked at scientifically, but adds: “I’d love it to be proved that this was a Christian site dating back to 410.”

2 thoughts on “London Calling

  1. […] Mike Aquilina at Way of the Fathers reports a BBC news item.  It seems that a burial has been found in London (Londinium), of a grave from the early 5th century. The burial was at St. Martin-in-the-Fields church, near Trafalgar Square. […]

  2. Fascinating — many thanks! He saw the legions leave, and the pottery means that he must have seen the barbarians arrive.

    One day it will be us.

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