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John J. O'Neill

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The Fisherman's Tomb: The True Story of the Vatican's Secret Search Kindle Edition

by John O'Neill (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

4.6 2,494 ratings

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A Texas oilman. A brilliant female archaeologist. An unknown world underneath the Vatican.

In 1939, a team of workers beneath the Vatican unearthed an early Christian grave. This surprising discovery launched a secret quest that would last decades — a quest to discover the long-lost burial place of the Apostle Peter.

From earliest times, Christian tradition held that Peter — a lowly fisherman from Galilee, whom Christ made leader of his Church — was executed in Rome by Emperor Nero and buried on Vatican Hill. But his tomb had been lost to history. Now, funded anonymously by a wealthy American, a small army of workers embarked on the dig of a lifetime.

The incredible, sometimes shocking, story of the 75-year search and its key players has never been fully told — until now. The quest would pit one of the 20th century’s most talented archaeologists — a woman — against top Vatican insiders. The Fisherman’s Tomb is a story of the triumph of faith and genius against all odds.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

John O’Neill is a lawyer and #1 New York Times bestselling author. He has spent much of his life visiting and researching early Christian sites. He is a 1967 graduate of the Naval Academy, a former law clerk to Supreme Court Chief Justice William Rehnquist, and senior partner at a large international law firm.

Print length

181 pages
Language

English
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On Kindle Scribe
Publisher

Our Sunday Visitor
Publication date

February 27, 2018
File size

8138 KB
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Get to know this book

What's it about?
A team of workers beneath the Vatican unearthed an early Christian grave in 1939, launching a secret quest to discover the long-lost burial place of the Apostle Peter.
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The dismissal of the inscriptions on the Graffiti Wall would turn out to be a disastrous mistake.
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The decision to use only an inside team without outside experts would prove to be a serious mistake.
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Yet tradition holds that he stayed in Rome (or returned) and was crucified upside down around the year 65.
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From the Publisher

The Fisherman's Tomb, the thrilling story of what happened when a group of workmen unearthed a grave

In 1939, workmen found an early Christian grave beneath the Vatican

A behind-the-scenes look at a tale 70 years in the making


The improbable hero and Texas oil man George Strake pictured with Pope Paul VI.	Margherita Guarducci, the unlikely heroine and brilliant archaeologist, showing the niche in the wall where St. Peter's bones were originally found.	Tombs of the Valeri, found beneath St. Peter's Basilica during the excavations.

A secret quest with an improbable hero

The hero of The Fisherman's Tomb is a wealthy Texas oil man who bankrolled the expedition at the secret request of Pope Pius XII.

Praise for The Fisherman’s Tomb


What a cool book! "The Fisherman's Tomb tells the story of the discovery of the tomb and bones of St. Peter under St. Peter's Basilica, combining risky excavations, oil discoveries and cataclysmic explosions in Texas, the intrigues and adventures of World War II, petty jealousy among Vatican apparatchiks, scholarly diligence and carelessness, amazing heroism — plus, above all, confirmation of the truth that Jesus made Peter the rock upon which he built his Church. What a cool book!" — Father Mitch Pacwa, S.J., Founder and president of Ignatius Productions, EWTN host, biblical scholar, author, and speaker	Gripping archeological detective story "The Fisherman's Tomb is a gripping archaeological detective story stretching back two thousand years, a true tale of religious veneration, papal risk-taking, and scholarly feuds. It's all told in fascinating and well-documented detail by John O'Neill, who reveals a behind-the-scenes American connection to the excavations that brought Saint Peter's bones to light." — John Thavis, Author of The Vatican Diaries and The Vatican Prophecies	Drama and adventure and Providence "This is one of Christianity's many great stories of faith, hope, and trust. It's drama and adventure and Providence, and John O'Neill here gives it the kind of loving treatment it deserves, one clearly born of his own dramatic encounter with faith, hope, and trust. Inspired by the witness illuminated in The Fisherman's Tomb, may every reader grow in these virtues, through Saint Peter's intercession." — Kathryn Jean Lopez, Senior fellow at the National Review Institute and editor-at-large of National Review, coauthor of How to Defend the Faith without Raising Your Voice


	Timeless: A History of the Catholic Church	The Fathers of the Church	To Whom Shall We Go?: Lessons from the Apostle Peter	The Big Hustle: A Boston Street Kid's Story of Addiction and Redemption	Hitler, the War, and the Pope

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From the Back Cover

A Texas oilman. A brilliant female archaeologist. An unknown world underneath the Vatican.

In 1939, a team of workers beneath the Vatican unearthed an early Christian grave. This surprising discovery launched a secret quest that would last decades a quest to discover the long-lost burial place of the Apostle Peter.

From earliest times, Christian tradition held that Peter a lowly fisherman from Galilee, whom Christ made leader of his Church was executed in Rome by Emperor Nero and buried on Vatican Hill. But his tomb had been lost to history. Now, funded anonymously by a wealthy American, a small army of workers embarked on the dig of a lifetime.

The incredible, sometimes shocking, story of the 75-year search and its key players has never been fully told until now. The quest would pit one of the 20th century's most talented archaeologists a woman against top Vatican insiders. The Fisherman's Tomb is a story of the triumph of faith and genius against all odds.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

John O'Neill is a lawyer and #1 New York Times bestselling author. He has spent much of his life visiting and researching early Christian sites. He is a 1967 graduate of the Naval Academy, a former law clerk to Supreme Court Chief Justice William Rehnquist, and senior partner at a large international law firm.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07B43PVRB
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Our Sunday Visitor; Illustrated edition (February 27, 2018)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ February 27, 2018
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 8138 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 181 pages

Best Sellers Rank: #156,204 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #20 in Christian Saints & Sainthood (Kindle Store)
- #29 in Christian Papacy
- #47 in Christian Church History (Kindle Store)

Customer Reviews:
4.6 2,494 ratings

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Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5

2,494 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the story interesting and say it offers excellent insights into the search for St. Peter's tomb. They also appreciate the fascinating history and culture, saying it's an excellent example of faith following science. Readers describe the writing quality as well-written and wonderful, and the pacing as fast and hard to put down.

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Story Content History and culture Writing quality Pacing Characters

266 customers mention "Story"263 positive3 negative

Customers find the story interesting, complex, and important. They also say it's moving and not earth-shattering.

"...But this book so worth the read to find Peter’s bones reminds us the search for truth goes on without our knowledge and that is alright….." Read more

"I found this book very interesting, but it was a bit complicated. I found myself going back and referencing information to keep it straight...." Read more

"This is an excellent book which fully delivers what it promises along with much more...." Read more

"...What i liked about the book:- Fascinating story of St. Peter; his origins, coming in contact with Jesus and his crucifixion-..." Read more

91 customers mention "Content"77 positive14 negative

Customers find the book offers excellent insights, is well-referenced, and unbiased. They also describe it as a remarkable, fast-paced tale, and say it's the right length of story.

"...that had read it, I am glad I got it and read it, it has a lot of interesting information, I recommend it" Read more

"...It is an unbiased telling of his goal of locating the bones of the first pope while secretly saving the lives of thousands of Jews during the..." Read more

"Informative, well written and do interesting! The history is fascinating. Very easy read!!" Read more

"Well written and very intriguing. Easy read but very knowledgeable. Learned a lot of history." Read more

83 customers mention "History and culture"83 positive0 negative

Customers find the book fascinating, with the story of amazing Popes. They also say the book strengthens their faith by historical data.

"...It gives you the fascinating history of how St. Peters Tomb was dicovered." Read more

"...Thought it was an interesting bit of history regarding the Vatican and persons involved in sponsoring this search for St Peter’s tomb." Read more

"Well written and engrossing true historical account. Lots of detailed information—I’m going to go back and read it again. Highly recommended." Read more

"I read this book so fast. I couldn't put it down. Absolutely love the historical documentation. My only disappointment is that the book ended...." Read more

74 customers mention "Writing quality"65 positive9 negative

Customers find the book well-written, with wonderful details about the process to prove that St. Peter is buried underneath. They also say the author is a real storyteller and the story is one that every Christian should read.

"...The book is written in a straightforward, if somewhat choppy style that would remind you of a diary or a journal...." Read more

"Well written and engrossing true historical account. Lots of detailed information—I’m going to go back and read it again. Highly recommended." Read more

"Informative, well written and do interesting! The history is fascinating. Very easy read!!" Read more

"Well written and very intriguing. Easy read but very knowledgeable. Learned a lot of history." Read more

24 customers mention "Pacing"24 positive0 negative

Customers find the pacing of the book fast, easy to follow, and straightforward. They also appreciate the informative reading material and the intrigue.

"This is a fairly interesting book and a quick read...." Read more

"...I found it a fast read and was surprised by how much I learned about our first Pope's burial place...." Read more

"Speedy delivery in excellant condition. Reading material was very informative. Will reread & share with others." Read more

"...facts, events and history to make this a book that was really hard to put down." Read more

11 customers mention "Characters"11 positive0 negative

Customers find the characters in the book insightful, respectful, and fascinating. They also say the story will enrich their faith and make them gain respect for historical and religious figures.

"This book has wonderful insight on Peter thy apostle and the peoples fight to preserve his relics including the Catholic Church." Read more

"...This story reads like a thriller, with heroic main characters like oilman George Strake and the brilliant archeologist Margherita Guarducci, and..." Read more

"...It is well written, with just enough facts to make the characters interesting. I am Christian,but not Catholic...." Read more

"...It's simply a great true story that will enrich your faith and make you gain respect for the Roman Emperor Constantine." Read more

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Mae

Informative and Interesting

Reviewed in the United States on April 19, 2024

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Funny to be reminded that power is everywhere including the church and recognition seems to triumph truth too often. But this book so worth the read to find Peter’s bones reminds us the search for truth goes on without our knowledge and that is alright…..

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L A.Orlando

Great Book! Arrived on time!

Reviewed in the United States on February 6, 2024

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I recommend this book to read if you are planning to go (or not) to the Vatican and take the Scavi Tour underneath St. Peter's Basilica! It gives you the fascinating history of how St. Peters Tomb was dicovered.

One person found this helpful

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Annie Bee

I read in one day

Reviewed in the United States on February 2, 2024

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I found this book very interesting, but it was a bit complicated. I found myself going back and referencing information to keep it straight. It was a very good read, especially if you are Catholic.

Reviewed in the United States on July 29, 2021

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O'Neill offers a good summary of the rather complex story of how the bones now presented as the remains of the apostle Peter were discovered and came to be acknowledged as his. The story is easy reading, told somewhat in the form of a detective novel, and well-annotated. All those who had a significant role in recovering and identifying (or refusing to acknowledge) the remains of St Peter get their fair share in the tale, especially Professor Margherita Guarducci, who has rarely gotten the recognition due her. From time to time, however, the author gets a bit carried away, and sounds as though he would like to say, "and then!" before he proceeds, but his editor has saved him from doing so. None of those who prepared the book for publication, however, thought to have someone with a background in Church history and/or classical studies help O'Neill over the clearly unfamiliar ground of Roman history and government in the late third and early fourth centuries, the dates and extent of the last persecutions, and the story of St Helena. Reading his glaring errors about all of them made me cringe. The illustrations in his third appendix, about the siting of Peter's tomb and the two churches later built over it, will be helpful to those unfamiliar with the location of the church and its history. One final word, about the Scavi. I have stood there, looking at St Peter's tomb, and aware that the Circus of Caligula and Nero, where Rome's first Christian martyrs were executed, is only yards away. As I did, I could not help telling myself that these were the remains of a commercial fisherman and family man, who had come all the way from the far eastern end of the Mediterranean to face a horrible and painful death here, on the outskirts of the City, and I could not keep from asking myself, "What had he seen, what did he know, that made him do this?" The only logical answer made my hair stand on end, even in the warm, humid air of the Scavi.

21 people found this helpful

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Jack Shea

This Book Delivers What It Promises

Reviewed in the United States on May 13, 2018

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This is an excellent book which fully delivers what it promises along with much more. As a Catholic, I had seen and followed many reports through the years--some contradictory--concerning excavations done over the last 70-80 years under St.
Peter's Basilica which attempted to find and verify the original tomb of the Apostle. This had more than merely antiquarian interest to me, since much current theological scholarship has tended to discount the traditional Roman Catholic assertion that Peter the Apostle, commissioned to a unique leadership role by Jesus of Nazareth, upon traveling to Rome maybe for the second time, assumed leadership of the Christian community (or at least a part of it) and was martyred there during the persecution of emperor Nero in the mid-60's A.D. This also has larger implications for the question of how the office of bishop may have developed in the early Church from custodian of the meeting-place to Chairman of the Board of Elders to Apostolic Successor.

The re-discovery of what is very likely the mortal remains of the Big Fisherman joins several other religious relics that tradition venerated but that were often treated with the general skepticism occasioned by the prodigious multiplication of objects of questionable authenticity during the Middle Ages. These material objects now viewed more seriously include the Shroud of Turin, the Sudarion (face cloth) of
Orvieto, the Black Madonna of Czestochova (likely a reproduction of the Hoda Gitria), and the Ark of the Covenant housed at Axum, Ethiopia. (This last is reputed to contain a tablet with the Ten Commandments written on it--both sides. Is the script Proto-Sinaitic?)

The book would be enhanced with more graphical material. Illustrations or, even better, photos of the Trophy, the Red Wall and the Grafitti Wall would be very helpful. I've been fortunate to see museum models of those structures. Also, as I recall from the museum presentation, the inscription removed from the Grafitti Wall by Fr. Fellua actually read "HIC CEPHAS," or "Here lies Peter" using the Aramaic equivalent of Greek "Petros" as a way of "hiding in plain sight." That would tend to fit better with a move of Peter's bones in response to persecution rather than for security during construction.

Confirmation that the Church of Rome really is literally founded on the Rock of Peter won't erase all the nasties that we Catholics have done over the last 2000 years, as I'm sure any competent Evangelical Christian historian will be happy to point out. But on-balance, I think we've done more to keep our civilization from re-descending into savagery than is generally recognized. And maybe somehow we've managed, as a follow-up to our Founder's Sacrifice, to bring more than a few often half-comprehending human souls to a post-mortem state of Salvation. Something like Tokyo subway door pushers stuffing Japanese commuters into trains.

16 people found this helpful

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Omietay

A true story about “Texas” history and persons involved as well.

Reviewed in the United States on May 22, 2024

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I bought several to share with family and friends. Thought it was an interesting bit of history regarding the Vatican and persons involved in sponsoring this search for St Peter’s tomb.

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Hugh Lloyd

Fascinating History

Reviewed in Canada on July 6, 2022

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A fascinating story about a Texas benefactor, an archeologist and St Peter at a critical time in history

hamptoncherry

Excellent read

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 7, 2021

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I recommend reading this book after the brilliant book by John Evangelist Walsh The Bones of St. Peter. Read together they really draw a compelling picture of the research and archaeology that made discovery of the bones of the apostle possible. The account written by Walsh is fascinating and describes the dig, it's findings and tests performed for authentication in minute detail. The book by John O'Neil is written some twenty years later and pics up where the first book stops, especially the lamentable persecution and ridiculing of the brilliant Margherita Guarducci, who is a real hero of the story. She has my huge respect. The FIsherman's Tomb is very good if you want to learn about characters and their relationships, The Bones of St.Peter is better and more accurate representation of the actual work that led to probably the biggest archaeological discovery of the 20th century. Not to be missed.

Luiz R. F. Curado

Reaidade ou imaginação?

Reviewed in Brazil on March 14, 2020

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Até parece que a igreja é a maior inimiga da religião...

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Frank Leutenegger

Déçu

Reviewed in France on December 12, 2019

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Je suis déçu. Je pensais à un ouvrage sérieux, mais les à priori de l'auteur sur l'histoire romaine et la cruauté de Néron, m'ont dissuadé d'aller plus loin que les premières pages. Un historien sérieux ne s'appuie pas que sur Tacite pour juger cet empereur.

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wendy chaves

Church History

Reviewed in India on August 2, 2018

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Interesting, well written if somewhat repetitive in places. For the curious, a good read!

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From the Publisher

In 1939, workmen found an early Christian grave beneath the Vatican

A behind-the-scenes look at a tale 70 years in the making

A secret quest with an improbable hero

Praise for The Fisherman’s Tomb

What a cool book!

Gripping archeological detective story

Drama and adventure and Providence

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Product details

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About the author

John J. O'Neill

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