The destruction of mummies described as national treasures in a Dublin crypt has been condemned as “sacrilege” by an Archbishop.
At least two sets of mummified remains, including those of someone believed to have died around 800 years ago, are feared to have been destroyed after a fire was lit in the historic crypts of Dublin’s St Michan’s Church.
The mummies were left in a “foot of water” after firefighters extinguished the blaze on Tuesday afternoon, it was claimed.
Gardaí arrested a man on suspicion of an alleged offence under the Criminal Damage Act in connection with the incident, and he remained in custody on Tuesday evening.
Among the remains feared destroyed in the incident is an estimated 800-year-old mummy known as The Crusader.
The Crusader’s head was removed and stolen in 2019, which led to the crypts being closed to visitors for a period.
The head was later recovered and a 36-year-old man was jailed for 28 months for burglary, criminal damage and damaging a dead body.
Church of Ireland Archbishop Michael Jackson said he was “devastated” that further vandalism had occurred at the crypt.
“Significant damage has been done to the mummies,” he said.
“These historic remains are woven into the history of the city of Dublin and emblazoned in the imaginations of visitors and tourists from home and abroad.
“We do not yet know what the future is for the mummies as the Archdeacon of Dublin and I fear that they have been destroyed. These mummies are a national treasure and I am shocked at the sacrilege of the destruction of the remains of people who once lived.”
St Michan’s Vicar David Pierpont said: “The crypt is a crime scene but I have just been given access to see the damage. The mummies are sitting in a foot of water. They need a very specific atmosphere and I fear that at least two of the remains, including the Crusader, have been destroyed.
He added: “I will contact the National Museum to see if anything can be saved.”