twenty skulls per board. So hundreds of them, several generations of monks. It seems to be the complete group of Russian monks who worshipped, prayed and worked here since the middle of the 19th century. Memento Mori (picture by Raymond Geldermans, april 1982).The skull and bones of the last monk, as Geldermans called this picture, collected in a rusted olive oil can. Probably after someone collected the remains to store it somewhere. It looks as if it was forgotten and left alone. Contemporary Pompeï. When there was no living soul left there anymore. (picture by Raymond Geldermans, april 1982)
Many skulls were displayed on shelves….some were put to rest on a chair…
And the last ones seems forgotten.
Normally a deceased monk will stay for 3 years or longer in agrave. When there is need for the grave because another father has died, monks dig up the bones and skull and bring the remains to an οστεοφυλάκιο ossuary. Name and day of death are put on the forehead of the skull (all above pictures by Raymond Geldermans, april 1982).A lot has changed since those dying days. Nowadays the domes and crosses glow again in the morning sun as signs of a brighter future (picture by Bas Kamps, September 2013).
Bas Kamps & Herman Voogd