Article Saint Peter’s First Burial Site According to Maria Valtorta’s Mystical Writings, Checked against the Archeology of Rome in the I Century Liberato De Caro 1 , Fernando La Greca 2 and Emilio Matricciani 3,* 1 Istituto di Cristallografia, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (IC-CNR), via Amendola 122/O, 70126 Bari, Italy; [email protected] 2 Dipartimento di Studi Umanistici, Università degli Studi di Salerno, via Giovanni Paolo II, 132, 84084 Fisciano (SA), Italy; fl[email protected] 3 Dipartimento di Elettronica, Informazione e Bioingegneria, Politecnico di Milano, Piazza L. da Vinci, 32, 20133 Milano, Italy * Correspondence: [email protected] Received: 11 September 2020; Accepted: 29 October 2020; Published: 31 October 2020 Abstract: The discovery of the mortal remains of the apostle Peter in the Vatican caves, in the 1940s, has aroused several doubts among scholars. In any case, there is consensus on this not being Peter’s first burial site on the Vatican Hill. The recent studies on Maria Valtorta’s mystical writings have shown that they contain a lot of data open to check through disparate scientific disciplines. Every time this check has been done, unexpected results have been found, as if her writings contain data not ascribable to her skills and awareness. Maria Valtorta describes also Peter’s first burial site, which, she writes, was not on the Vatican Hill. The analysis of these particular texts, checked against the archeology of Rome in the I century and its catacombs, has allowed us to locate Peter’s first burial site in a hypogeum discovered in 1864 but not yet fully explored, near the beginning of Via Nomentana, in Rome. A mathematical estimate of the probability that Maria Valtorta, by chance, invented the data that lead to this particular site shows that it is very small and reinforces the conclusion, already reached with archeology, that casualness is very doubtful. The full exploration of this hypogeum would assess the reliability of this alleged Peter’s first burial site. Keywords: Saint Peter’s tomb; Roman catacombs; Maria Valtorta; mystical writings; imperial Rome 1. Introduction Recently, a rigorous and scientific analysis of the large literary work written by Maria Valtorta (1897–1961)—an Italian mystic—, on Jesus’ life, has strikingly evidenced the presence of large amount of data concerning facts and events occurred 2000 years ago in the Holy Land, which are well beyond her knowledge and skills [1–3]. According to Maria Valtorta, her writings were consequence of mystical visions: she wrote what she saw and heard. In the following, we will refer to what she wrote about her alleged mystical visions as mystical writings (MWs). In her MWs, it is possible to find mentions to localities, roads, river Jordan, lakes, creeks, mountains and hills, sceneries, and monuments of Palestine at Jesus’ times [4–6], a geographical area that Maria Valtorta never visited. This large amount of data, however, is practically known only to generations of archeologists, historians, Bible and Talmud scholars, and experts of epigraphy, topography, and geography, whose research has taken them decades of studies and efforts. Therefore, for this reason, it is surprising to find them, with so many details, in her MWs. Moreover, Maria Valtorta writes, during the II World War, sitting on her bed, with her shoulders supported by pillows, bedridden because paraplegic—paralyzed at the waist and legs—, in her house in Viareggio (Tuscany). She had only a Bible and the Catechism of Pius X. J 2020, 3, 366–400; doi:10.3390/j3040029 www.mdpi.com/journal/j J 2020, 3 2 J 2020, 3 367 because paraplegic—paralyzed at the waist and legs—, in her house in Viareggio (Tuscany). She had only a Bible and the Catechism of Pius X. But, so far, every time some of the data she reports have But,been socheeked far, every [1–3], time they some have of theappeared data she to reports be correct, have sometimes been cheeked anticipating [1–3], they what have scholars appeared would to be correct,later have sometimes found, e.g., anticipating archeologist whats, as scholars in the following would later example. have found, e.g., archeologists, as in the followingTo show example. with an example how surprising are the data reported in her main literary work concerningTo show Jesus’ with life an [7], example the city how of Jezreel surprising is described—[7], are the data reportedvol. 7, 479.4 in her(The main first literarynumber work(479) concerninggives the chapter, Jesus’ lifethe [second7], the citynumber of Jezreel (4) gives is described—[ its subdivision.7], vol. These 7, 479.4 divisions (The first have number been introduced (479) gives theby the chapter, Editor the Emilio second Pisani, number Centro (4) givesEditoriale its subdivision. Valtortiano These (CEV))—to divisions be of have rectangular been introduced plan, with by thefour Editor towers Emilio at the Pisani, four corners: Centro «Some Editoriale towers Valtortiano are at the (CEV))—to four corners be ofof rectangularJezreel, but plan,I do not with know four towerswhich purpose at the four they corners: serve. They «Some were towers already are atold the wh fouren I corners saw them. of Jezreel, They look but Ilike do four not know gruff whichgiants purposesited as theyjailors serve. to the They town were which already is oldbuilt when on an I saw elevation them. Theyoverlooking look like the four plain gruff nowgiants slowly sited asdisappearing jailors to the in townthe early which shadows is built of on a ancloudy elevation evenin overlookingg». She knew the the plain Bible. now In slowly the second disappearing Book of inKings the early(9,17), shadows however, of only a cloudy a single evening». tower of She Jezree knewl is thementioned, Bible. In not the four. second The Book historical of Kings age (9,17),is the however,IX century only BC; a therefore, single tower as Maria of Jezreel Valtorta is mentioned, observes, not they four. were The already historical ancient age is2000 the IXyears century ago, BC;period therefore, to which as her Maria MWs Valtorta about observes,Jesus’ life they refer were to [7]. already However, ancient neither 2000 the years Bible ago, nor period other topossible which hersources MWs of abouther times Jesus’ ever life mention refer to the [7]. presence However, of neitherfour towers, the Bible but just nor one. other Moreover, possible sourcesthese Jezreel’s of her timesarcheological ever mention remains the had presence not been of four yet towers,found in but th juste 1940’s. one. Moreover,Only in 1987, these by Jezreel’s chance, archeological a bulldozer remainsdiscovered had some not beenarcheological yet found ruins in the in 1940’s. the southern Only in ridge 1987, of by the chance, Jezreel a Valley, bulldozer Lower discovered Galilee, some and, archeologicalsince 1989, a decade ruins in of the archeological southern ridge work of in the that Jezreel site Valley,startedLower [8–10]. Galilee, and, since 1989, a decade of archeologicalThe excavations work inuncovered that site starteda casemate [8–10 ].wall and four projecting towers, at the corners of a rectangle,The excavations surrounding uncovered the town-fortress, a casemate wallas Figure and four 1 shows, projecting built towers, with ata combination the corners of of a rectangle, well-cut surroundingashlars, boulders the town-fortress, and smaller stones, as Figure and1 shows, an upper built level with of a combinationmud-brick. At of the well-cut times ashlars, of the Northern boulders andReign smaller of Israel stones, (IX century and an BC), upper the level site, of being mud-brick. elevated At 100 the m times from of the the valley Northern and surrounded Reign of Israel by (IXwalls century for the BC), entire the site,perimeter being elevated(332 m 100184 m m from) [8–10], the valleywas of and strategic surrounded military by importance. walls for the Maria entire perimeter (332 m 184 m)[8–10], was of strategic military importance. Maria Valtorta precisely Valtorta precisely ×describes the four towers of this site about 40 years before the ruins were ever describesfound [7]. the four towers of this site about 40 years before the ruins were ever found [7]. Figure 1.1. AerialAerial photograph photograph of Telof Tel Jezreel, Jezreel, evidencing evidenci theng rectangular the rectangular shape ofshape the site, of whichthe site, originally which hadoriginally four towers had four at thetowers four at corners. the four The corners. zoom Th ine the zoom right-bottom in the right-bottom inset shows inset the shows ruins of the one ruins of the of fourone of towers the four (The towers photographs (The photographs shown in Figure shown1 have in beenFigure published 1 have been in D. Ussishkin.published in 2011 D. OnUssishkin. Biblical Jerusalem,2011 On Biblical Megiddo, Jerusalem, Jezreel andMegiddo, Lachish, Jezreel Divinity and SchoolLachish, of Divinity Chung Chi School College, of Chung Chinese Chi University College, ofChinese Hong Kong,University Lung-kwong of LoHong ed., Hong Kong, Kong), https:Lung//‒www.academia.edukwong Lo ed.,/3175337 Hong/On_Biblical_ Kong), Jerusalem_Megiddo_Jezreel_and_Lachishhttps://www.academia.edu/3175337/On_Biblical_Jerus, last access 10alem_Megiddo_Jezreel November 2019). _and_Lachish, last access 10 November 2019). We cannot offer any rational explanation for this knowledge. What we wish to point out is the objectiveWe cannot fact: the offer comparison any rational between explanation her MWs for and this what knowledge. the archeologists What we havewish laterto point found out is is very the precise.objective Moreover, fact: the comparison these striking between coincidences her MWs apply and alsowhat to the many archeologists other observations have later she found reports is very on precise. Moreover, these striking coincidences apply also to many other observations she reports on J 2020, 3 368 the Holy Land of 2000 years ago [1–3], an interesting and surprising characteristic of her MWs that would deserve careful studies to be further clarified.