Remains of two Australian bishops found in Perth cathedral

Published: 2006-10-19

PERTH, Australia (CNS) -- The remains of two early Catholic bishops who served the Perth Archdiocese were handed over to a funeral company in mid-October after discovery of their bodies in St. Mary's Cathedral crypt. Four floorboards of the central aisle, each inscribed with a cross, indicated the existence of a crypt, the precise location of which has been debated for many years. Father Robert Cross, an archaeologist, discovered the crypt during a routine survey of the floorboards. Recent construction work at the cathedral allowed the Archdiocese of Perth to discover the coffins, which were subsequently exhumed. The crypt was found to hold the remains of Bishop Martin Griver, who died in 1886, and Bishop Matthew Gibney, who died in 1925. Father Cross said Bishop Gibney's coffin -- which was partially decayed -- contained a tube with a scroll that will be sent to experts for examination. The Archdiocese of Perth is planning to place the bodies of all six previous bishops and archbishops in the newly completed cathedral, where a crypt will be built with 14 burial chambers.

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