Crypt unable to open due to damaged mummified bodies

An Anglican church in Dublin has been unable to reopen a historic crypt to the public since the remains of mummified bodies were damaged in an arson attack.

One of the damaged mummified bodies in St Michan’s Church of Ireland is that of a man, known as the Crusader, who died about 800 hundred years ago.

A 39-year-old man, Cristian Topiter, who had an address at Grand Canal House, Lower Rathmines Road, Dublin 6, was jailed for six years last month.

He had pleaded guilty to the 2024 arson attack which the church described as “an act of desecration and sacrilege”.

More than nine months after the attack last June, the crypt remains out of bounds to visitors and tourists.

The main entrance gates to the grounds of St Michan’s Church are closed and locked.

Inside the grounds, a heavy steel lid and a steel gate leading the crypt are also locked.

The church facilitated a visit to the site by BBC News NI.

“As a parish, as the vicar of the parish and as parishioners, we’re custodians of the whole church,” said Archdeacon David Pierpoint.

“Not just above the church, but what’s below the church, and it’s a rather heavy burden to bear.”

Speaking about the damage to the estimated 800-year-old remains of the Crusader.

He explained: “All his body has been charred, spine, his hands, one of his legs is completely missing, and there’s a huge amount of damage done to him.”

The vicar of St Michan’s said the damage caused to the remains of the Crusader and the remains of another man, who is believed to have been buried alive about 400 years ago, is “irreparable”.

The closure of the church for most of the past year has caused a significant drop in parish income because the church has had no option but to stop tour groups from visiting until the remains have been removed.

Thousands of people usually visit the church each year.

Archdeacon Pierpoint is hopeful the groups can return soon once permission is granted by the diocesan authorities and Dublin City Council for reinternment.

The vicar of St Michan’s says it’s important to reopen the crypts as soon as possible to ensure the church has sufficient funds to maintain the centuriesold church-

But, he said, it’s also important to allow visitors from home and abroad “to see the phenomenon of what this actually is”.

Most of the present St Michan’s building dates from the 17th Century, except for the 12th Century tower.

The arson attack last summer was one of several incidents in recent years during which the church and crypt were targeted.

In 2019, vandals broke in and decapitated the Crusader.

The skull was later recovered and reattached with the help of the nearby National Museum of Ireland, according to Archdeacon Pierpoint.

The crypt was also damaged during another break in, also in 2019, and the church said at the time that several mummified remains – including the 400-year-old remains of a nun – were desecrated.

The Church of Ireland crypts are also the resting place of Barristers Henry and John Sheares, two brothers who were leaders of the United Irishmen during the 1798 Rebellion.

The site includes a copy of their execution order issued by the English authorities in Ireland at the time.

All the mummified remains in the various crypts, apart from the Crusader are of people who died between 400 and 450 years ago, according to the Church.

Despite the current restricted access to the church grounds, St Michan’s remains open for worship every Sunday.

The first church on the site is believed to have been established in 1095, but the current church dates back to the 1680s with further renovations taking place between 1723 and 1725, in 1767 and in 1825.

It was restored in 1998.

The remains of many of Dublin’s most influential 17th, 18th and 19th Century families are also entombed in St Michan’s.

The limestone walls of the crypts and atmosphere within them is believed to have helped preserve the remains.

The church’s organ is housed within the case of an organ case constructed by John Baptiste Cuvillie around 1725.